Energy efficiency has great potential to make the biggest impact on organisations’ emissions, energy use, and costs in the shortest amount of time. One often overlooked area is the performance of air conditioning systems.
Timothy Holman, Head of Consultancy at TEAM Energy looks at why TM44 air conditioning inspections provide a valuable opportunity to enhance sustainability and shows how organisations can calculate their own potential savings.
What is a TM44 Air Conditioning Inspection?
TM44 is a set of guidelines with corresponding regulations that mandate regular inspections of air conditioning systems with an output of more than 12kW. These inspections are designed to assess the efficiency and performance of the systems, ensuring they operate optimally and sustainably. The inspections must be carried out by accredited energy assessors and are required every five years.
Sustainability benefits of TM44 Inspections
Improved Energy Efficiency: One of the primary benefits of TM44 inspections is the identification of inefficiencies in air conditioning systems. According to the Government’s Energy Performance of Buildings regime, proper implementation of TM44 recommendations can result in energy savings of 30-40%, with even simple adjustments, such as modifying system settings, delivering 10-20% reductions. By pinpointing areas where energy is being wasted, organisations can take corrective actions to improve efficiency.
Reduced Carbon Footprint: Air conditioning systems can be significant contributors to a building’s carbon footprint. TM44 inspections help ensure that these systems are running efficiently, thereby reducing the overall carbon emissions. The built environment in the UK accounts for approximately 25% of the country’s total greenhouse gas emissions. This includes emissions from the construction, maintenance, and demolition of buildings, as well as their day-to-day operation.
Enhanced System Performance: Regular inspections ensure that air conditioning systems are well-maintained and functioning at their best. This can extend the lifespan of the equipment, reduce the need for costly repairs, and prevent unexpected breakdowns that potentially have a big impact to business, for example, a broken server room air conditioning unit could stop operations. A well-maintained system is also less likely to leak refrigerants, which can have a significant Global Warming Potential, hundreds or even thousands of times worse that Carbon Dioxide emissions.
Compliance with Regulations: Adhering to TM44 inspection requirements ensures that your business complies with UK regulations. Non-compliance can result in penalties, failure to maintain business certifications, affecting your ISO14001 certification, for example, and damage your organisation’s reputation.
Potential changes to legislation
The Government is currently consulting on potential changes to the Energy Performance of Buildings legislation, which includes air conditioning inspection regulations. Compliance with TM44 regulations is currently low, meaning that many organisations are not fully benefiting from the energy efficiency and carbon reduction opportunities these inspections offer. To address this, the Government is including proposals for stricter penalties for non-compliance and a redesign of the inspection process to make it more relevant and fit for purpose.
The aim of these changes is to encourage system operators to implement recommendations for improvement, thereby enhancing the energy efficiency of their air conditioning systems and reducing emissions output.
Looking beyond the TM44 compliance
To many organisations, getting a TM44 air conditioning report can seem like another compliance check box. To help them understand the potential savings from TM44 inspections, a simple and effective TM44 Air Conditioning Inspection Savings Calculator allows organisations to estimate the financial benefits of improving their air conditioning system’s efficiency.
By entering details about the current system, its average usage, and the type of building it serves the calculator provides them a clear picture of how much an organisation could save on energy. The calculated savings are based on a saving of 20% in accordance with the Government’s Energy Performance of Buildings regime statistics.
TM44 inspections can highlight a range of issues from poor maintenance, insufficient insulation, incorrect settings, leakages, and obsolete systems. Understanding the potential savings can help organisations build business cases to implement the recommendations delivered by the accredited energy assessor.
In conclusion, TM44 air conditioning inspections offer a range of sustainability benefits for organisations. From improving energy efficiency and reducing carbon footprints to ensuring regulatory compliance and achieving financial savings, these inspections should not be underestimated. By prioritising regular TM44 inspections, organisations can enhance their sustainability efforts, demonstrate corporate responsibility, and contribute to a more sustainable world.