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Upgrading Temperate Control Systems at Longacres Garden Centre

When was the work carried out?

The Royale team finished this challenging project in May 2019. Involving renovation of a space over 3,000 square metres in size, it was an extensive project we’re proud to have worked on.

What type of system was installed?

A large building like Longacres requires a top-end system. In this case, Royale supplied and installed a BlueBox smart heating and cooling solution; a system from an excellent brand known for efficient and consistent temperature control.

What requirements did Longacres have?

Longacres has challenging storage requirements due to the sheer size of its stockholding and the requirement for such precise temperate control. The company’s diverse array of plants and organic produce has varying requirements for temperature and moisture for it to stay healthy and ready for sale. Our solution had to cater to every requirement in different areas of the Longacres building; quite the task.

What did Royale do?

The existing underfloor heating was integrated into the new BlueBox heater to keep the building warm in winter months, thus ensuring consistent temperate for the plants and produce inside the building. This, in addition to chilling fan coils designed to stop flowers from wilting and maintain temperatures across the shop floor area, was the main body of the project’s work.

Were there any challenges?

As is the case with any large retail area, Longacres had a demanding footprint to work around. Varying requirements of twenty-four-hour temperature control was a tough one! Flushing the pipework to clean the bacteria that accumulated from the previous system was also a technical task that had to be done before installing the new system.

What were the results?

A well-executed project in a retail space is hard but always rewarding. Longacres now has excellent temperature control throughout its 3,000+ square metre area – and thanks to the planning efforts of Royale’s engineers, the new system is visually unobtrusive, affordable and easier to maintain.