Your Guide to Commercial Air Conditioning Installation in the UK

In the UK, a Commercial Air Conditioning Installation will begin with a site survey followed by alongside a risk assessment. This is not a DIY installation. It is carried out by HVAC contractors and F-gas certified engineers.

A commercial installer will survey the site, design the system that bests fits the requirement of the building and then install the units. They will of course the commission the complete system and complete handover to the designated user. The first practical step will be for a site survey to take place…

Site survey

It is careful, necessary work done by the engineers that looks at the electrical infrastructure to make certain that it can support the additional requirements of the AC without it overheating or creating any faults.

The qualified engineer will decide the best place for the indoor unit and outdoor unit to be, taking into consideration the optimal placement of the external consider to ensure optimal flow and efficiency.

The right air conditioning system

Depending on the buildings needs, you will need a certain type of system. The engineers will be factoring in various considerations such as: the size of the building, budget, the number of zones (how many different rooms inside the building need independent control of the temperature and more…

The planning will also account for the working hours of the business, so that disruption is kept to a minimal level.

What air-con system do I need?

Let’s look at four very common examples to give you some context for where a type of system might be used and chosen by your engineer.

• Typically, Split Systems are ideal for small offices and hospitality (small scales). They are cheap to install and not too time consuming.

• Multi-Split Systems are great for bigger offices or retail environments.

• Meanwhile, a VRF/VRV System is most suited for hotels and multi-storey buildings. These systems are very advanced and commonly used in large buildings. They often require very high upfront costs though.

• A Ducted Air Conditioning System can be used in offices or open-plan spaces. The indoor unit is hidden in the ceilings so it’s great for a retail environment. These would cost far more than wall-mounted units, for example, though.

Designing the air-con system

Upon choosing the type, the engineer can then go about designing the necessary pipework and unit placement.

Building permits and planning approvals take place now and materials can be ordered, along with cabling. The site can be prepared (scaffolding access to roof etc)

Installing the air-con

In the installation phase, indoors and outdoor units are mounted along with pipework, electrical connections and drainage. The engineers, before signing the system off, need to pressure test and leak test the refrigerant lines. By doing this, they can make sure the system can hold the pressure and also to prevent refrigerant loss (otherwise this would lead to poor cooling).

The performance is verified so the necessary heating/cooling capacity is met and the airflow is up to standard in each of the zones.

The handover phase 

Next, the handover can begin. This is to make sure the user will understand how the system operates and how best to maintain it.

The controllers will be explained and how to set the most suitable temperatures (the day-to-day running). Not forgetting, giving a walk through of basic tasks like cleaning the filters, explaining what you can do and what would require an engineer to do.

You will also need the F-gas logbook (if applicable – almost all traditional commercial AC systems contain F-gas refrigerant) and of course warranty documents. Pre-planned maintenance is strongly encouraged to be set up in a contract for regular intervals to make sure that your unit is optimised and help with reducing Energy Bills.

Typically, the maintenance on commercial air conditioning systems takes place at least once a year. However. twice a year may be needed depending on the usage. This is particularly advisable for those in the retail and hospitality industry for example, where the system run more frequently than a small office. Factors such as high amounts of door traffic (outdoor pollutants), clothing and product packaging (airborne particles) will often clog filters faster so it’s highly important for the care of your system.