When was your air conditioning last inspected?

Effective air conditioning is key to maintaining comfortable and functional environments, including leisure centres, schools, retail spaces, offices, warehouses and large commercial sites – a point the heatwave has driven home this summer.

However, a well-maintained air conditioning system is not necessarily a compliant one.

It’s not uncommon for organisations with eligible cooling systems to have outstanding Air Conditioning Inspection Reports.

What are Air Conditioning Inspection Reports?

Under Technical Memorandum 44 (TM44), Air Conditioning Inspection Reports must be obtained no more than five years apart for any cooling system in a commercial building with an output exceeding 12kW. A system may consist of one unit or several.

If your system falls within scope, you must arrange for a TM44 inspection. This is a universal compliance requirement for commercial buildings, regardless of building use, occupancy or time.

The two mandatory documents produced through this process are called the Air Conditioning Inspection Certificate (AC-Cert) and Air Conditioning Inspection Report (AC-Report).

Inspections must be carried out by an accredited assessor, who will produce and lodge your documents on the government register.

This infographic tells you more.

Are there any TM44 exemptions?

• Process cooling: Refrigeration or air conditioning used solely for industrial processes – such as cold storage or pharmaceutical production – rather than occupant comfort.
• Residential dwellings: Domestic properties are exempt, except for large Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) and mixed-use commercial/residential buildings.

What are the penalties for non-compliance?

A potential minimum fine of £300 applies if an air conditioning inspection is not carried out within the required five-year period.

An additional £200 fine can be issued each time a copy of the report is not provided to an enforcement authority – such as a Trading Standards Officer – within seven days.

With fines applied per system, the total cost can mount up significantly for organisations with large portfolios.

How can Inspired help?

Inspired can take care of your TM44 compliance end to end, from the inspection to producing the required reports, including recommendations to improve system efficiency, through to lodging your compliance record on the government register.

We’ll also track when your next inspection is due and remind you ahead of time.

If you require Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) or Display Energy Certificates (DECs), these can be arranged alongside your air conditioning inspection, saving on cost and minimising inconvenience to your site.

Through Inspired’s wider team, you can also access a broad range of services to help you act on report recommendations and improve energy efficiency across your estate.

For example, building controls help keep air conditioning running optimally – reducing wastage and managing the cost impact of demand spikes.