Air conditioning systems with an effective rated output of more than 12kW must be inspected by an accredited energy assessor every five years. The inspection examines the refrigeration and air movement equipment that is part of the air-conditioning system, its controls, and whether the system is suitably sized for the cooling loads required of it.
An ACI also ensures that you understand the efficiency of your system and gives you the opportunity to improve the energy efficiency or effectiveness of your system.
The Regulations
As part of the Energy Performance of Buildings legislation there is now a requirement for Air Conditioning systems with an effective rated output of more than 12kW to be inspected by an accredited energy assessor at least every 5 years.
The first inspections should already have been carried out before 4th January 2009 for any system with an effective rated output greater than 250kW that was commissioned before 2008. Many organisations are currently in breach of these regulations.
For any system with an effective rated output greater than 12 kW that was commissioned before 2008 the first inspection must be carried out before January 2011, effectively in 2010.
Those systems that were commissioned from 2008 onwards must have the first inspection carried out within 5 years of the date that the system was commissioned.
For the purposes of the regulations one or more air-conditioning units within a building controlled by a single person are considered to comprise a single air-conditioning system.
The person who controls the operation of the system is the person who controls the technical functioning of the system, not someone who can just alter the temperature. This could be someone from the company that owns the building or manages it such as an FM company or the tenant even if they use a sub contractor to carry out the maintenance.
From April 2012 Air Conditioning Inspection reports must be lodged on the national database administered by landmark PLC making it easier to establish which buildings have complied with the regulations.
What is involved in an Air Conditioning Inspection
The inspection will examine the refrigeration and air movement equipment that are part of air-conditioning systems, and their controls. It will also examine any documentation that helps to understand the systems, or
Can indicate the extent to which the systems have been maintained.
The energy assessor is also required to estimate whether the system is suitably sized for the cooling loads in the treated spaces, and to provide advice on ways in which the performance of the system might be improved.
The purpose of the inspection and report is to ensure that a building owner or manager is provided with basic information regarding the efficiency of the air conditioning system that they control, together with advice on how the energy efficiency or effectiveness of the system might be improved.
Your Responsibilities
If you control the operation of an air-conditioning system affected by these regulations, it is your responsibility to:
