COVER STORY
Novotel Edinburgh, UK’s first installation of Toshiba USX Edge Modular Heat Pump
Carrier Solutions UK was tasked with providing an HVAC solution for NOVOTEL Edinburgh Centre, a prestigious city-centre hotel. In long-term collaboration with installing contractors AlterTherm Group Ltd, the team provided a modular and space- saving HVAC solution using two high- performance Toshiba Universal Smart X (USX) Series Edge units. This project was the first UK installation of the USX Edge high-capacity modular air-source heat pump
TheToshiba USX Edge in situ, Novotel Edinburgh rooftop
O
ne of the primary challenges was integrating the system into the existing hotel infrastructure with minimal disruption to operations and hotel guests. As this was a
replacement of a live system providing cooling into the building, reducing downtime was extremely important. It would mean everything would need precise planning - from equipment arriving on time, the crane being erected and having engineers ready to connect and commission the system. Two Toshiba Universal Smart X (USX) Series Edge modular heat pumps, each with a capacity of 150kW, delivering a total of 300kW, were installed on top of the NOVOTEL hotel in July 2024. The USX Edge units feature an enhanced compressor design based on the world’s largest capacity direct current (DC) twin rotary compressor, enabling the use of high-pressure R32 refrigerant. The introduction of an industry-first pulse width modulation (PWM) converter helps to reduce energy losses, enhance power factor, and eliminate harmonic currents. In terms of energy efficiency, the USX Edge provides Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratios (SEER) of up to 4.90 and a Coefficient of Performance (CoP) ranging from 3.39 to 3.62, depending on the model, ensuring optimal performance across various operating conditions. The integrated wireless local area network (LAN) functionality enables secure remote monitoring and control, allowing the hotel management and Carrier engineers to perform real-time adjustments and optimisations. The modular design allowed for an easier installation, reducing operational disruption. The space-saving ‘X Frame’ design reduces installation space by 70% compared to the conventional R134a model.
The Toshiba R32 Universal Smart X Edge High-Capacity Heat Pump
Toshiba Universal Smart X Edge, exploded view
An important factor for the hotel was that they needed to ensure they had full backup, as the hotel could not take the risk of having systems offline. The USX provides this peace of mind by having separate circuits within each circuit to ensure continuous operation in the unlikely event of a failure.
For the installation, a coordinated crane lift was needed to position the units onto the roof of the NOVOTEL building. Thorough planning and coordination ensured that nearby roads were closed for safety during this process. The crane lift installation was also planned for late in the evening to minimise disruption to local traffic. Stuart Curtis, managing director, AlterTherm
Group Ltd, said: “The NOVOTEL Edinburgh installation was a complex yet highly rewarding project. The space-saving X-frame chassis and modular design of the USX Edge units made it possible to install them easily, even in a constrained rooftop location. This system is a game-changer in light commercial HVAC solutions, and we continue to offer it to our clients. The success of this project has meant that we have since installed a second Toshiba USX Edge at another hotel in the hotel group and continue to enjoy preferred partnerships with both them and Carrier Solutions UK.”
10 BUILDING SERVICES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER MAY 2025
Results
The NOVOTEL Edinburgh Centre hotel project was the first UK installation of the newly launched Toshiba Universal Smart X Edge units. Despite the challenging weather conditions on the evening of the crane lift, the installation team successfully lifted the units onto the building roof. The two units work together to provide a total of 300kW capacity of cooling and comfort for the hotel and its guests. The system operates on R32 refrigerant, which has a global warming potential (GWP) of 675, reducing potential impact on the environment compared to the legacy R410a system, which has a global warming potential of 2088. This solution offers precise climate control with trackable energy efficiency and wireless connectivity so that Carrier engineers can support the hotel with adjustments and optimisation. The installation of the Toshiba USX Edge units at the Novotel Edinburgh hotel marked a significant milestone for the hotel group in the UK, which has selected the units again for other sites. Visit the
https://www.toshiba-aircon.co.uk/
product/r32-high-capacity-heat-pump- universal-smart-x-edge/ for more information on the Toshiba Universal Smart X Edge.
Read the latest at:
www.bsee.co.uk
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