RETROFIT IN HVAC
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Energy use slashed at London’s Grade I-Listed Guild Hall
Axair’s fan replacement project at London’s historic Guild Hall has achieved a substantial reduction in ventilation energy while also cutting noise levels signifi cantly
BEFORE BEFORE Plenum chamber T
he Grade I listed landmark with an adjoining Grade II wing, was grappling with escalating energy costs and rising carbon emissions due
to its ageing belt driven ventilation fans. Through the Salix Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, the client secured grant funding to undertake a full fan array retrofi t. By replacing 28 old fan sets with modern, modular fan-array units confi gured around a basement plenum chamber, the project signifi cant results. The investment, is expected to pay for itself in very short payback periods.
Background & funding
The M&E contractor enlisted by the client engaged with Axair as part of the UK Government’s net zero push for public sector buildings by 2025. As a Grade I listed structure, any interventions had to preserve the building’s heritage fabric. Ventilation accounted for roughly 40% of the buildings total energy consumption, driven by twenty eight oversized double-width, double-inlet belt driven fans that were costly to maintain and operated ineffi ciently. Recognising the urgency of reducing both carbon footprint and operating expenses, the Hall applied for and received funding through the Salix Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, enabling Axair to deliver a decarbonisation solution with minimal upfront cost to the client.
The challenge
The core challenge lay in balancing heritage preservation, rapid ROI, and improved building performance. The existing fans, installed decades earlier, suff ered frequent breakdowns and signifi cant energy losses. Any structural alterations
22 June 2025
“By replacing 28 old fan sets with modern, modular fan-array units confi gured around a basement plenum chamber, the project achieved signifi cant results.”
were off limits in order to protect the Grade I listing. Noise created by the aged could be heard during quieter events. The customer’s priority was a swift payback, making it critical for the retrofi t to deliver immediate effi ciency gains without compromising the building’s character or event experience.
Our solution
The M&E consultant was on site to extract detailed AHU duty and absorbed power data, passing
all information to the Axair retrofi t team who used these parameters alongside bespoke and proprietary fan-selection software. Over eight weeks and 24 design iterations, we developed
AFTER
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