Drives secure fresh air inside South America’s tallest building

They lead a quiet, mostly unnoticed life in the basement. But their mission is important. They secure fresh, conditioned air for visitors in shopping-heaven up on ground floor and above.

We’re talking about the approximately 100 VLT® drives of different type and size which Danfoss has supplied to the Costanera Center business and commercial complex in Santiago, Chile – home to South America’s biggest mall and tallest skyscraper.

The drives make sure that the electric motors – which power the fans blowing fresh, filtered air into the center – are optimized to never consume more energy than necessary. An electric motor cannot control its own speed. Without a drive, therefore, it typically runs full speed as soon as you turn it on – also when much lower speeds would do the job.

Francisco Rodriguez, Maintenance Manager, Cencosud, the company owning the Costanera Center, says:

“The VLT® drives are key. Without them, the center’s electricity bill would run loose. We installed the first Danfoss drives in 2012. We haven’t had any problems with them. They have lived up to all expectations."

The Costanera Center has signed a so-called power purchase agreement with its utility company. The agreement means that each kilowatt of electricity the center uses comes from renewable energy resources such as solar and wind.

Felipe Martell, HVAC Coordinator, Danfoss in Chile:
“I am proud to have been part of this project. The center is famous in South America – not least for its approach to sustainability. That Danfoss plays an important role inside says a lot about the quality of our products and our reputation as a green solutions supplier.”

Cencosud is Chile’s biggest retail company operating more than 1,000 stores in South America, including department stores and supermarkets.