Airedale Test Centers
Airedale by Modine has invested in world-class testing facilities in both the UK and the US, ensuring that our air conditioning and chiller solutions deliver proven performance, efficiency, and reliability.
Our purpose-built labs are designed to exceed stringent international standards, providing clients with complete confidence through rigorous in-house testing and witness demonstrations.
UK Test Center: One of Europe’s Largest HVAC Test Facilities
Located in Leeds, UK, Airedale’s multi-million-pound 1,323m² test center is one of the most advanced air conditioning product testing facilities in the global HVAC industry and one of the largest in Europe. This facility plays a crucial role in our product development process, ensuring that our solutions perform efficiently under real-world conditions.
Key Capabilities:
- Temperature range: -20°C to +50°C
- Testing capacity: Cooling & heating systems from 2kW to 500kW, air-cooled water chillers up to 2MW
- Witness testing: Customers can validate equipment performance before installation
- R&D testing: Supports innovation in high-performance cooling solutions.
Industry standards:
- ISO 5151 – Testing of A/C units & heat pumps (non-ducted)
- BSEN 814, BSEN 12055 – Rating tests for cooling & liquid chilling packages
- BSEN ISO 9614 – Acoustic sound power level determination
- BSEN 14511 – Air conditioners, liquid chilling packages, and heat pumps.
"I recently visited Airedale’s new facility with a customer from Denmark and I must say, we were blown away. Everything we saw was perfect, the test center is incredible. My customer has used the official Danish Labs several times, and he said they’re like a kindergarten compared to the new facility in Leeds."![Blockquote Image]()
Jens Kirkebjerg – 2K ApS, Business Partner, Denmark
US Test Center: Precision Testing for North American Data Centers
To serve the rapidly growing North American data center market, Airedale has invested in a state-of-the-art chiller test center at our manufacturing plant in Rockbridge, Virginia. This facility allows us to test chillers under real-world conditions, ensuring accuracy and reliability for mission-critical applications.
Key Capabilities:
- Temperature range: Up to 125°F (52°C)
- Testing capacity: Air-cooled chillers up to 2.1MW. Future expansion to water-cooled chillers up to 5MW
- Process water flow up to 1,900 GPM, expandable to 3,800 GPM
- Accommodates chillers up to 55 feet in length
- Advanced witness testing: Dedicated observation area for clients to monitor performance in real time
- Free cooling simulation: Capable of replicating real-world economizer conditions without relying on heat reclaim, providing more accurate data for data center applications
- Live test monitoring: Data acquisition technology and an automated building management system ensure real-time insights.
"This facility takes us to the next level in terms of being able to serve the data center market here in the US. The ability to put large chillers through their paces right here in Virginia, one of the biggest data center growth regions in the world, gives Airedale a real advantage. Data center chillers need to perform once they're on site and it is natural that clients want to see the equipment perform in-person before delivery to site. Having the ability to host chiller witness tests is a welcome investment and another statement of intent that we are delivering on our global growth strategy"![Blockquote Image]()
Stuart Kay - Sales Director (NA)
Global Commitment to R&D & Quality Assurance
Across both our UK and US test centers, Airedale follows a rigorous End-of-Line Test (EOLT) procedure for all chillers before dispatch. This ensures that every unit meets the highest standards of performance, efficiency, and safety.
As part of our ongoing investment in next-generation cooling solutions, Airedale reinvests a significant percentage of revenues into research and development. Our test laboratories enable us to push the boundaries of sustainability, energy efficiency, and reliability—delivering innovative cooling solutions that meet the evolving demands of data centers and mission-critical environments worldwide.
Behind the scenes in R&D
Watch our video as David Wilks, Global Research and Laboratory Manager, gives an insight into day-to-day operations in Research and Development at Airedale.
GLOBAL FACILITIES
QUALITY & INNOVATION
Innovative product development is key to Airedale’s success, setting air conditioning industry standards when it comes to manufacturing expertise and addressing industry, economic and environmental challenges.
ENVIRONMENT
Airedale are known as a company that always tries to push the boundaries of technology, investing into research & development with a focus on energy efficiency and the environment.
