TM44 provides direction on carrying out the requisite air conditioning inspection within sensible constraints of cost, time and skills, including precise guidance on generating recommendation for the user, on a consistent basis. Energy managers and Engineers who are responsible for these systems have to consider how they meet the terms with the new rules.
Building managers and owners who wish to know the scope and purpose of the inspection should read the articles present on the web which could be provided to the building owner/manager by the inspector earlier to the inspection. These offer an overview of the air conditioning inspections, and its subsequent use and potential benefits, to help managers plan for the visit and to think what additional actions may be suitable after the inspection.
Other parts of the Energy Performance Certificates and Inspections of Buildings (England and Wales) Regulations 2007, comprise a requirement for a official document describing the energy competence of the building to be prepared and made available on rent or sale of buildings. This certification procedure will also occupy the inspection of buildings to get the fundamental details of the building services, building fabric and other equipment used in the building.
In July 2007, European Regulation (EC) 842/2006, the ‘F-Gas Regulation', came into force. It involves regular inspections of refrigeration systems to check for leakage of fluorinated greenhouse gas refrigerant from systems. Some refrigeration systems containing CFC or HCFC refrigerants may already be subject to regular leakage testing under European Regulation (EC) 2037/2000 on substances that reduce the ozone layer. And some air conditioning systems will fall under the scope of the Pressure Systems Safety Regulations 2000, which may apply to systems with an installed power in excess of 25 kW.
TM44 air conditioning inspections also indicate how building owners and managers should be advised to prepare and keep information from all these inspections so that the time needed to carry them out, and hence their cost can be minimized.
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