TM44 Air Conditioning Inspections

Although any guidance does not have to be acted upon, business owners and managers can make an informed decision based on the TM44 inspection report. In some cases, energy costs have been drastically reduced without any significant outlay in new systems. Inappropriate controls and settings may be causing both heating and cooling systems to be operating simultaneously – a clear case of producing excessive CO2 emissions and burning money unnecessarily.

What is not understood is that these inspections are also designed to help identify equipment that is leaking “fugitive” emissions. The refrigerants used withing air conditioning systems are very harmful to the atmosphere. If released into the atmosphere they typically have the equivalent global warming potential around 2,000 times that of CO2.

As we increasingly migrate towards air conditioning and heat pump technologies and away from fossil fuels, regular testing and inspection will be key to mitigate significant environmental damage caused by neglected equipment.

Our team of accredited energy assessors can ensure you remain compliant with the TM44 regulations, bringing over 40 years’ experience in the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration industry.

• All commercial buildings must have air conditioning systems inspected every five years if they have air conditioning installed with an output exceeding 12kW
• Buildings with an air conditioning system(s) totalling 12kW or more must have a valid TM44 air conditioning report 
• This includes small individual units where the combined capacity is 12kW or more (approx. 3 wall units)
• The first TM44 inspection should take place before the air-conditioning is 5 years old, and further inspections should be scheduled every 5 years (or less) thereafter. 
• An air conditioning assessment must be carried out by an accredited energy assessor, SEA has a number of inhouse assessors.
• The recommendations part of the report can save money by reducing energy consumption and maintenance cost 
• Air conditioning reports help you enhance your company’s green credentials.

A TM44 inspection involves a site visit by an accredited energy assessor. They will undertake a full review of all of your air-conditioning systems, including the control settings and the maintenance reports. It includes an appraisal of whether the system is sized adequately and effective for the square footage.

The report will make recommendations on how your cooling systems could be more energy efficient, which may include tweaking controls that involve no financial outlay. They may also recommend adjustments to the maintenance regime, equipment replacement or alternative cooling solutions that would be more efficient.

Where equipment is at the end of it economic life its normally more cost effective to replace it that to continue paying for ongoing repair bills on inefficient equipment. Current equipment installed today can have an energy saving of at least 25% compared to when it was first installed.

• Improve the energy efficiency of your air conditioning systems 
• Identify faults affecting the efficacy of the units 
• Reduce your system maintenance and running costs
• Help demonstrate ESG reporting needs with regards to “fugitive” emissions.
• Reduce the carbon emissions produced from running your air conditioning, helping you meet your sustainability and net zero goals 
• Put in place better control settings that meet your operational needs
• Help spot and reduce refrigerant leaks, which are very harmful to the environment.
• Stay legal and avoid being fined for non-compliance.
• Feel good that you are helping to contribute towards reducing energy waste and environmental damage.

Our team at SEA Consulting are both qualified CIBSE chartered building service engineers and government approved energy assessors. With over 40 years of experience in the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration industry together we can tell you where you can save energy, reducing you carbon emissions and running costs.