Energy assessments

New regulations state that from January 2011, all air conditioning systems with a cumulative cooling capacity exceeding 12kw in any building should be inspected by an accredited assessor.

 New regulations state that from January 2011, all air conditioning systems with a cumulative cooling capacity exceeding 12kw in any building should be inspected by an accredited assessor to judge their energy efficiency

 The aim of the inspection is to give building owners and managers information about the performance of their air-conditioning plant, and to identify opportunities to save energy and cut operating costs.  Reports will list recommendations for improvements and savings, direct attention to free information, for example from the Carbon Trust and, in some cases, sources for interest free loans to make improvements. 

 This derives from the European Performance of Buildings Regulations (England and Wales) Statutory Instrument no 991, 2007 that lists criteria under which accredited assessors should inspect air conditioning equipment to ensure worthiness and efficiency.

 International agreements are now in place to reduce carbon emissions, recognising the growing reliance on fossil fuels for our daily lives.  For example, since 1990, there has been a 250% increase of air conditioning installed in buildings in the UK.  By the end of 2010, 40% of air conditioning in this country will be more than 15 years old.  Estimates are that by 2020, air conditioning alone will contribute to a 33% rise in UK energy consumption.  We all have to do something to reduce carbon emissions.

 We work on the assumption that with a little help, everyone should be able to save energy.  And whilst that might be through the use of your air conditioning, tackling high voltage lighting and, for example, levels of insulation can lead to big savings. To assist you, the independent assessors we recommend to undertake your air conditioning assessment will also conduct a walk-though energy assessment of your premises to give you advice on where to save energy based on their experience of having surveyed over 5000 for this purpose.