subject: Retailers Risk Fines For Failing To Carry Out Air Conditioning Inspection [print this page] With only 12 weeks to go before the deadline for UK legally required independent Energy Performance Air conditioning Inspection, many retailers will fail to comply in time as they concentrate on the build up to Christmas. Businesses should be concerned about the bad publicity fines will attract, being seen as ignoring Climate Change may damage reputation.
These inspections are required as part of Climate Change legislation, yet despite a potential payback often measured only in months if changes recommended in the inspection report are adopted, The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) reported a few weeks ago that rates of compliance were less than 5%.
With electricity costs being a significant and rising overhead on retail property, owners and tenants need to look at energy efficiency to cut bills. Roger Lawrie, partner at specialists in energy compliance Envitae, points out that Air conditioning can account for up to 50% of energy consumption and many businesses are unaware that legislation requires systems with cumulative output over 12kW to be independently inspected by 4th January 2011. This must be carried out by a government approved energy assessor and is additional to any other service or maintenance. Mr Lawrie goes on to say that assessors are finding that inspection reports make recommendations that in most cases will save energy.
CIBSE say
It costs the businesses who do not have inspections. The inspection and accompanying report tells operators whether their systems are operating as efficiently and cost effectively as possible.
So non compliance costs non complying companies a real opportunity to cut costs and increase profits.
It costs the environment, because of the excessive energy use and associated carbon emissions.
And it costs the UK any chance of meeting its statutory carbon dioxide emissions reduction targets.
Envitaes website www.envitae.co.uk provides lots of useful information and guidance on the requirement for independent energy assessment and points out that inspection is the responsibility of the system operator, who is often the tenant.
by: Roger Lawrie, Partner, Envitae - solutions for energy compliance
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