Carrier helps a central London hotel upgrade its HVAC
system quickly and seamlessly with an airlift delivery of
two new AquaSnap® chillers

The original plan was to use a heavy-duty crane to remove two existing R22 refrigerant-based chillers from the rooftop of the Hilton Metropole Hotel and replace them with two new high-efficiency Carrier AquaSnap units, delivering a combined cooling capacity of just over 1MW.

However, concerns arose over the crane’s size and the load-bearing capacity of the road beneath, which passes directly over London Underground’s Central Line. The initial proposal would have required a long-term closure of Edgware Road—a major arterial route into central London—causing significant logistical challenges and disruption to the local community.

With the final phase-out of R22 refrigerant looming under EU legislation, Carrier devised an innovative solution by contracting Helirig and their Swiss helicopter partners to conduct the rooftop lift. A comprehensive risk assessment was undertaken, with all identified risks either mitigated or managed appropriately. Carrier also secured the necessary airspace permissions, and the helicopter lift proceeded as planned.

Les Cordery, Facilities Manager at the Hilton Metropole Hotel, said: “I am delighted at the speed and professionalism with which Carrier carried out the installation, and with no disruption to traffic or disturbance to our surrounding residents. We had been prepared for the project to take many months, since closing part of the busy Edgware Road to traffic isn’t an easy thing to arrange. However, Carrier’s innovative thinking and project management expertise provided an ideal solution and an unexpectedly timely result for the hotel.”

Carrier continues to support the installation, providing ongoing service and maintenance for the chillers to ensure optimum guest comfort, operational efficiency, and minimal running costs for the hotel.