Estiatorio Milos Restaurant Air Conditioning Installation London

The restaurant air conditioning located on the upper levels at Estiatorio Milos of London was not sufficient to cope with soring summer temperatures and the rising heat from the kitchen and seating areas below. Synecore was contracted to install new air conditioning equipment in the restaurant’s upper levels.

Estiatorio Milos London

Step inside number 1 Regent Street and you could be mistaken for entering an idyllic port-side Greek restaurant. Nestled in the hubbub of London town, Estiatorio Milos serves only the very best fish cuisine from the Mediterranean.

The smells and simple décor are what makes Estiatorio Milos, a unique and authentic Greek dining experience for Londoners and international visitors. Set over two levels – the ground floor and mezzanine balcony, there is ample seating at this popular haunt. However, the restaurant air conditioning on the upper level balcony was proving problematic for this central London eatery.

The Problem: Under-performing Restaurant Air Conditioning

During the heatwave of 2018, temperatures regularly soared to over 30 degrees Celsius. There was little escape and it proved particularly unbearable in the upper level at Estiatorio Milos. With the kitchen directly below and an open staircase leading from the ground floor, the hot air was trapped in the balcony area, where there is seating for 30 guests.

To have such a copious space almost uninhabitable during hot periods, due to the high temperatures, was a major issue for the Greek restaurant. Although there were some ducted air conditioning units installed at the back of the seating, it was not substantial enough for the area, and the positioning meant that the air was not circulating. Instead, it was blowing up towards the ceiling at one end of the room.

The management team at Estiatorio Milos called upon the services of Synecore. Known for our expertise in efficient restaurant air conditioning systems, Synecore was a sensible choice for the project.

Synecore’s Air Conditioning Assessment

Having assessed the area, it was apparent, the existing air conditioning system was an afterthought in the interior design process of Estiatorio Milos.

The original designers must have focussed on retaining the ornate ceilings that were protected by the building’s grade II listing. Rather than attempt to alter the ceiling height to accommodate more efficient air conditioning units, they were installed within the back panels of the bench style seating.

The ornate ceilings with its traditional cornice moulding had to remain, but it was clear that only cassette style air conditioning units would provide suitable cooling for the mezzanine area.

With just a small void existing within the ceiling, there was only one thing for it – to lower the ceiling by 200mm!

Lowering the Restaurant Ceiling for the AC Units

Lowering the ceiling to accommodate the two restaurant air conditioning units was not going to be an easy option, especially in a live restaurant environment. However, Synecore had a plan that would take precision and coordination between Synecore’s building and air conditioning teams.

The restaurant’s mezzanine floor had to remain open to avoid any financial impact on the restaurant, so Synecore planned the air conditioning install in phases.

The team worked on the ceiling in sections and partitioned the working areas with ply hording. To retain the sophisticated décor within the restaurant, the hording was decorated, seemingly like the remaining walls.

To avoid noise during peak periods, Synecore’s team carried out major works between the hours of 7am and 10am.  The unobtrusive nature of the installation was impressive, so much so, the customers were non-the-wiser to the goings-on behind the hording.

In truth, Synecore’s team of builders were removing the old ceiling and re-installing it 200mm lower, re-installing the lighting and fire alarm sensors.

The Restaurant Air Conditioning Installation

All the time the ceiling was down, Synecore’s AC team were able to access the existing containment within the ceiling steels, allowing them to fit the pipework for the new cassette air conditioning units.

The air conditioning equipment installed by Synecore included two cassette single split Daikin RZASG125-M7V1B condensers and two FCAGI25AVEB cassettes with 360-degree air flow. The Daikin cassette units used in the project feature rounded corners and are the only units of its kind currently on the market. They were chosen to optimise the air flow in the area.

The restaurant’s new Daikin air conditioning system operates on R32 refrigerant. In light of the R410-A phase out, R32 proved the most feasible option and would help future proof the system.

With all the pipework and units in place, the lowered ceiling was finished, decorated and the ornate features retained.

Obstacles Overcome

There were three main obstacles to overcome during the project:

  1. Working in a live restaurant environment
  2. Access to the roof top in a building shared with numerous businesses
  3. Space for two new condensers on the already over-crowded roof top

It was apparent the installation had to take place in two phases:

  • Phase 1 was to install the units within the restaurant
  • Phase 2 was to run the pipework from the restaurant over six levels to the roof top and mount the condenser units

We’ve already covered how we overcame working in the live restaurant environment, so let’s skip ahead to Phase 2 of the project – pipework and condenser installation.

The Regent Street Restaurant shared a building with a number of businesses, which occupied the remaining six floors. Consequently, Synecore had to communicate with those businesses and the Landlord to run the pipework from the condenser, located in the roof top to the air conditioning units in the restaurant.

Most of the business’ overhead were office-based, which meant during the weekends they were vacant. This provided the ideal time to run the pipework, power and containment for the condenser units.

It took two weekends to complete Phase 2, which involved the Landlord granting access and shut off of the fire alarms over the unoccupied floors (not the restaurant).

On the roof top, there was minimal space for the two new Daikin condenser units. This was because of the numerous plants already located there that serve the offices and the existing restaurant plant for the lower levels of the restaurant (the ground floor restaurant and kitchen, basement kitchen, wine cellar and toilets). The new units therefore were stacked, but remained hidden from view behind the metal fencing, thus not causing any disruption to the views of neighbours and the street.

The Result

The restaurant air conditioning installation was successfully completed within two weeks and the customer could not be more delighted.

Marc Healy, CPA, CA, Chief Financial Officer at Estiatorio Milos said, “Synecore did a fantastic job managing and installing the air conditioning in our upper level mezzanine.

“Before, the temperatures in the height of summer were unbearable and the air conditioning was not effective. When Synecore came up with the plan to drop the ceiling in order to accommodate ceiling air conditioning units, we knew we had chosen the right company for the job. The team understood the importance of retaining the interior décor and they were very considerate.

“Apart from losing a couple of tables at a time over the two week period, the install did not impact on our restaurant trade. The team overcame every obstacle with grace and professionalism. I would highly recommend them to other restaurants looking to upgrade their air conditioning systems.”

To find out more about Synecore’s restaurant air conditioning installation services for London and the UK, click HERE or CONTACT a member of our team.

Client

Estiatorio Milos London, Regent Street

Equipment 

Single split Daikin RZASG125-M7V1B condensers and FCAGI25AVEB cassettes with 360-degree air flow

Marc Healy, CPA, CA, Chief Financial Officer at Estiatorio Milos said,

“Synecore did a fantastic job managing and installing the air conditioning in our upper level mezzanine.

Before, the temperatures in the height of summer were unbearable and the air conditioning was not effective. When Synecore came up with the plan to drop the ceiling in order to accommodate ceiling air conditioning units, we knew we had chosen the right company for the job. The team understood the importance of retaining the interior décor and they were very considerate.

Apart from losing a couple of tables at a time over the two week period, the install did not impact on our restaurant trade. The team overcame every obstacle with grace and professionalism. I would highly recommend them to other restaurants looking to upgrade their air conditioning systems."