TM44 Air Conditioning Inspections
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Many commercial buildings and an increasing number of homes have air conditioning systems. These systems should be carefully maintained and managed in order that they do not consume too much energy. Click here for a quotation. Regular inspections for air conditioning systems have been introduced. By 4 January 2009 all air conditioning systems over 250kW should have had their first inspection, and by 4 January 2011 all air conditioning systems over 12kW must have their first inspection. The trigger for these inspections is the size (effective rated output) of the system, not the type of building, and so the measures apply to homes, commercial and public buildings. We undertake air conditioning inspections using the CIBSE TM44 methodology and all of our reports are officially lodged with the Department for Communities & Local Government (CLG) through Sterling Accreditation. We conduct inspections throughout London, Surrey, Kent, Sussex and Hampshire.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Ql. What does the Energy Assessment Inspection involve?
The energy assessment inspection involves the sampling (close inspection) of a percentage of the indoor fancoil/terminal units along with all of the outdoor units and that percentage depends on the type of system involved.
For split type systems this is a minimum of 3 or 10% of the units plus a further 2 if the observation is inconclusive or if the assessor has concerns.
For VRF systems, provided that the systems appear to be well maintained then 10% of the indoor units and all of the outdoor units. The assessor will advise at the time if further units require inspection.
For larger complex systems such as chillers, fancoils, versatemp etc a significant amount of the units must be sampled which must be a minimum of 1 in 50 and all of the outdoor equipment. The assessor will advise at the time if further units require inspection.
The close inspection may involve the use of smoke pencils and anemometers to prove airflow, removing of access covers to carry out inspection of the units and filtration, taking of photos to document findings (please advise us if the use of photography is not permitted on site)and also the use of temperature measurement devices may be used.
Q2. What if I cannot find all of the original design data, drawings etc?
The assessor can only base his inspection on the information that is provided at time of survey and any lack of documentation will be noted in the inspection report. The more information that is available at the time of survey will enable the assessor to provide a more detailed assessment of the system. Should information be missing such as asset schedules etc we would be more than happy to provide a quotation to assist you in collating this information.
Q3. Will access be required to all areas of the building?
Yes, safe access will be required to all plant rooms, roofs, risers and areas where the system that are to be inspected are located. This may also include Comms rooms and other high security areas.
Q4. Will I need someone to be in attendance with the assessor?
Yes, we would request that someone with good knowledge of the building is available to assist with gaining access to all areas. Where BMS systems (building management systems) or an on site maintenance team are in place we would recommend that they are also in attendance so that the system can be interrogated and the operational perimeters viewed. Where this is not possible we would be more than happy to provide a quotation for the various specialist attendances.
Q5. Will the assessor require any tools or access equipment?
The assessor will attend site with the necessary tools to access the equipment but will not attend with any height access equipment required i.e. steps etc. Should these be required we would request these are provided (safety certificated) or alternatively please notify us of any specific access requirements and we will provide a quotation to supply the necessary equipment.
Q6. What will I receive after the inspection is carried out?
Within 4 weeks of the survey you will receive an energy assessment report that will detail the equipment surveyed, if the sampled equipment is sized correctly (utilising CIBSE TM44 rule of thumb calculations), any health and safety issues noted at time of survey, the condition of sampled equipment and also the report will provide you with recommendations on how to operate your equipment in a more energy efficient way.
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