Daikin Air Conditioning India Pvt. Ltd was awarded the prestigious contract for the EON Free Zone in Pune (near Mumbai), India. At the heart of the proposal is Daikin VRV III technology. The mammoth project will include some 900 outdoor and 6,600 indoor units, all under the control of Intelligent Manager III.

The city of Pune, the engineering and automobile hub of western India, has much going for it: good climate, top educational institutions and a rich culture. For these reasons, many IT operations – including foreign software companies – are also making Pune their home. To address this growth, the EON Free Zone project was launched.

The EON Free Zone enjoys “special economic zone” tax status and encompasses 4 million square feet. It will provide state-of-the-art infrastructure and support services to IT and IT-enabled businesses. The complex includes four clusters of buildings, each shaped like a four-leaf clover, as well as a residential area. Its unique architecture uses a minimalist design that blends well with the site’s surroundings.

Each floor of the building is configured as an open-plan hall, with air conditioning for the huge areas provided by Daikin ceiling-mounted cassette indoor units connected to VRV III outdoor units. Local developer Panchshil chose VRV III for a range of reasons.

The energy efficiency of VRV III was high on the list as was the reduced footprint that saved on installation space. VRV III also lends itself well to the phased installation and commissioning required for such a large-scale project, and its flexibility and compatibility ensure that as the building evolves, its climate control systems can follow.

Daikin was also able to provide a control system that combines advanced control with a simplified user interface. This is important since each tenant will have its own independent system and control. Reliability, ease of maintenance and the extended piping lengths supported were also highly appreciated features as was Daikin Airconditioning India’s after-sales service network. The EON Free Zone is expected to welcome its first tenants already in 2007.