Since January 4th 2011 any organisation in the UK with air conditioning systems with a cooling capacity over 12kW has a legal obligation under Article 9 of the Energy Performance of Buildings (Certificates and Inspections) Regulations 2007 to carry out an independent energy inspection and assessment of their system.

TM44 Air Conditioning (AC) Inspections identify ways in which the energy consumption of existing air conditioning systems can be reduced, helping you save money, save energy, and reduce damaging carbon emissions into the atmosphere.

The Inspection is intended for all types of ‘comfort cooling’ (cooling for the comfort of human occupants), but it is also appropriate for air conditioning systems for some other purposes, e.g. Server Rooms. It is not intended to cover dedicated process cooling systems or systems that serve chilled distribution warehouses, or production and manufacturing facilities. Where systems provide air conditioning for both process and comfort cooling, only that part which provides comfort cooling will be inspected.

It is important to note that central air handling plant, cooling towers, chillers, condensers and coolers, local heat recovery ventilation units, and their controls are also included in the inspection report.

The inspection will also include a review of relevant documentation such as service and maintenance records, F Gas and asset registers, and will also provide advice on compliance with other relevant statutory legislation such as The Fluorinated Gases and Ozone Depleting Substances Regulations (phasing out of HCFCs such as R22, and the introduction of F Gas qualifications and certification).

In the UK, the air conditioning system in a building also includes groups of units that are individually of less than 12kW cooling capacity, but have a combined cooling capacity greater than 12kW. For regulatory purposes the cooling capacity of an AC system is defined as the ‘sum of all the individual cooling units under the control of one building owner or operator’.

F-Gas Compliance.

The inspection will comment on the maintenance regime and whether or not you need to comply also with the F-gas Regulations and Ozone Depleting Substances Regulations (e.g. R22). Owners and/or operators of refrigeration and air conditioning equipment with a rated cooling output greater than 12kW are required to have an air conditioning energy assessment carried out every five years. Latest updates to TM44 legislation can be found at the BRE website.

With effect from 4th July 2008 the European Union’s F-Gas Regulation No 842/0006 affects all users of air conditioning equipment. A log of all air conditioning systems must be kept on site with all system details such as make, model, serial numbers (including all served indoor units), type and quantity of gas. The systems must then be leak tested by certified personnel (frequency depending on quantity of gas in the system) and findings recorded in the register.

Any detected leaks must then be rectified at the earliest opportunity and detailed recordings of any recovery or additional gas included in the register for inspection. The legal responsibility for the compliance lies with the ‘operator’, defined as people or organisations that have actual power over the technical functioning of the equipment. This law has been brought into effect to reduce and monitor all ozone depleting gases entering into the atmosphere.

We can provide you with a custom made F-Gas Register complete with all the required information from your air conditioning systems and asset label your equipment to the required standard. Your register will be ready when compulsory leak tests are carried out and for inspection by any law enforcement representative, keeping you legally compliant and avoiding prosecution.