Updated Guidance on Air Conditioning Systems

The following guidance is for England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Defining an Air Conditioning System

Legislation states: 17 (2): Where the relevant person has the power to control the temperature of more than one individual air-conditioning unit in a building, each unit shall be considered to be a component of a single air-conditioning system for the purposes of paragraph

One or more air conditioning units within a building controlled by a single person are considered to comprise a single air conditioning “system”

 

What Triggers and Air Conditioning Inspection?

Legislation states: 17 (1): This Part applies to air-conditioning systems with an effective rated output of more than 12kW

One or more air conditioning units within a building controlled by a single person (“system”) where the effective rated output is greater than 12kW

When should an Air Conditioning Inspection take place?

Legislation states: 18 (1): It is the duty of the relevant person in relation to an air-conditioning system to which this Part applies to ensure that the system is inspected by an energy assessor at regular intervals not exceeding five years

Legislation States: 18 (3)a: where the system is first put into service on or after 1st January 2008, means the last day of the period of five years beginning with the date on which the system is first put into service and 18 (3) b: where paragraph (a) does not apply

(i)in the case of a system with an effective rated output of more than 250kW, means 4th January 2009; or

(ii)in the case of a system with an effective rated output of more than 12kW, means 4th January 2011.

The date the “system” was first bought into service i.e the date of the oldest component of the air conditioning “system” would determine the date of the first inspection. 

The inspection will look at all of the components in the “system” irrespective of the components individual age.

Subsequent inspections must be completed within 5 years.