Daikin McQuay Applied Development Center

The Daikin McQuay Applied Development Center is a state-of-the-art, research and development facility for innovative high-efficiency heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) technologies. The Center develops and tests advanced chiller, compressor, and other HVAC technologies to reduce energy consumption and ultimately the carbon footprint of buildings.

Located at McQuay world headquarters, the 49,000-sf research center includes six test cells, with space for two additional cells, that will facilitate the development of air- and water-cooled chillers, compressors, and heat pumps, as well as new air-conditioning systems.

The facility includes a worldwide range of electrical voltages/frequencies, capacities for testing up to 1,800-ton systems (a measure of cooling load), and a range of procedures for testing ambient conditions such as temperature and humidity. The Applied Development Center can simulate the building, electrical, and climate conditions of any location in the world, allowing the basic design development of new products to be centrally located in this facility. These global models are then arranged into a suitable design to match market requirements at existing regional development centers throughout the world.

McQuay has applied for LEED Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. With more than 90 percent of the building's energy generated by process loads (e.g., hot and cold water for chiller and compressor tests), energy savings are realized primarily by recovering 75 percent of that energy and diverting it back into the system.

Other environmental features include:

• Water-efficient landscaping
• Recycled construction waste
• Use of recycled content for interior surfaces
• Low-emitting sealants
• Locally purchased materials