Regulations that enforce inspections of air conditioning systems came into force last year and more are being introduced in January 2011. Ian Shellard, senior associate at carbon reduction company Sustain, assesses the importance of the regulations in the light of anecdotal evidence which suggests that as many as 80 per cent of systems are non-compliant.
The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) has spawned many new compliance initiatives. One of the more recent is a set of regulations that enforce regular inspections of air conditioning systems.
These inspections must be carried out by an accredited air conditioning inspector and definite deadlines for compliance are now in place. The first inspection of all existing air conditioning systems over 250 kW cooling capacity must have been completed by 4 January 2009. For systems over 12 kW cooling capacity, the deadline is 4 January 2011 and for new systems over 12 kW installed after January 2008, inspections must be carried out within five years of being operational.
Local authority trading standards officers have the power to check certification and issue fines if inspections have not been carried out, starting at £300 per building, with additional fines for continued non-compliance.
So, if you are responsible for a system of over 250 kW, which is more than two years old, you will already have your air conditioning inspection report safely tucked away in your filing cabinet? If the answer is 'no', you are not alone.
A large number of systems across the country that should have had an inspection over 12 months ago are yet to be assessed. Unlike EPCs (Energy Performance Certificates) and DECs (Display Energy Certificates) there is no requirement for air conditioning inspections to be logged on a central register, making it difficult to give an accurate estimate of the number of inspections carried out.
However, anecdotal evidence suggests that less than half of the required 50,000 inspections have taken place - some estimates are as high as 80 per cent non-compliance. Perhaps more worryingly, orders for new inspections appear to be dropping off as the more proactive building managers have already carried out their reports. Meanwhile the rest of the industry is slow to adopt the new regulations.
It's important to understand what lies behind the low level of compliance. Reasons range from concerns over the number of qualified, experienced assessors to lack of awareness of the regulations to lack of Government enforcement.
It seems unlikely that there is a shortage of assessors available to carry out the work - there are eight accredited training providers now offering courses in air conditioning inspections. So the issues seem to be around awareness and enforcement.
In autumn last year the low level of compliance with EPBD legislation prompted many training providers and accreditation schemes to launch campaigns aimed at the trading standards officers who uphold the regulations.
The aim was to mount an awareness and enforcement campaign to equip trading standards officers to check that relevant buildings do have inspection reports, and that they are minded to prosecute where such reports are not available.
The effects of these campaigns have yet to be properly analysed but efforts to discover if any fines have yet been issued by trading standards officers have been unsuccessful. This suggests that very few, if any, enforcement notices have actually been issued to the building managers who were unable to produce the required inspection documentation.
Let's also not forget that trading standards officers will almost always provide an initial advisory notice requesting that the work be carried out before resorting to issuing a fine. It is also debatable whether a fine of £300, compared to the potential cost of system inspection which may run into thousands of pounds, is sufficient incentive to encourage action.
Clearly, an effective enforcement mechanism is vital to track whether legal obligations are being met and to incentivise building managers. However, even with the best will in the world there will never be enough trading standards officers to check every single building and the same officers are responsible for enforcing DEC and EPC legislation, which have their own compliance issues.
We would like to see the focus move towards raising awareness of the requirement for inspections among building managers, and better 'selling' of the benefits of the inspections so people can understand the how they have a positive impact on energy and cost savings.
Benefits of Inspection
Inspections need to be carried out in accordance with CIBSE Guide TM44 and they look at areas such as efficiency, system sizing, control settings and faults. However, while the inspection itself is mandatory, it does not compel anyone to act on the advice given. The assessments are therefore kept simple to identify poor performing equipment and minimise costs and disruption to the system's operation, while still providing useful advice on improving system performance and efficiency.
As we drift further away from the implementation deadline for larger systems - and closer to the deadline for smaller ones - more and more companies will begin marketing their assessment services, meaning many more building managers will become aware of the need for inspections.
Some managers may be resistant to the idea of having another inspection of their equipment. After all most systems already have a maintenance contract in place to ensure that the equipment is working properly. However, just because something is working, does not mean it is as efficient as it could be.
Air conditioning systems can account for as much as 50 per cent of the energy consumed by a building, so serious savings can be made in terms of both energy bills and carbon emissions. This is particularly important for those companies affected by the Carbon Reduction Commitment
Knowing how to get the best from your system is an important starter. One of the most common ways in which an inspection can prove its worth is when it identifies the replacement of older centralised chiller systems with modern inverter driven variable refrigerant flow (VRF) options.
This often reduces energy consumption by up to half, with a pay-back period of around seven years.
Another good example is the installation of ducted return systems to fan coil units on the top floor of a building where they are fitted into a pitched roof. Many modern type business park offices suffer from this problem as they are often three-storey, brick buildings with pitched roofs, so the occupier ends up heating and cooling the roof void as well as the floors below. Installing a ducted return will often pay back in one year, leaving you to enjoy the savings for years to come.
Examining system controls and settings often offers the greatest potential for low or no-cost improvements. This means reviewing the suitability and location of sensors and system zoning, taking into account the system type and the needs of the people using the building. Equipment that allows simultaneous operation of heating and cooling in the same space can also offer significant savings and, if you combine all the measures identified in inspection reports, building managers can make thousands of pounds of energy savings every year.
Most buildings with large air conditioning systems will have a register that will list the number and type of each unit and provide details of the total cooling capacity. If you are unsure of your total system size, details can often be found on the information plate attached to the unit, in operating manuals or by speaking to your usual maintenance personnel.
As a general rule, office areas of 2,000 sq m are likely to require 250kW of cooling capacity and areas of 200 sq m need 12kW cooling capacity. It's also worth noting that, for the purposes of the regulations, if there is more than one air conditioning unit in a building controlled by one person, they are considered as a single system.
Inspections must be carried out by an assessor with the relevant qualification and accreditation. This could be someone from your existing system maintenance providers who will already be familiar with the equipment or a third party consultant who can look at the system with a fresh pair of eyes and give an impartial perspective on its operation.
According to our assessor, Jason Roberts:
"The benefits of having an energy efficiency inspection should not be underestimated.
"The core aim is to assess the existing HVAC system and the way in which it is being operated to see if there are ways in which energy consumption can be reduced to an efficient level while maintaining comfortable conditions.
"This is invaluable information for companies looking to reduce overall cooling capacity in future refurbishment projects as it shows how changing the size and controls of a system can save thousands of pounds."
