Air conditioning can affect the energy performance of a commercial building, especially when systems are old, poorly controlled, oversized, under-maintained or running longer than they need to.

For offices, schools, pubs, clubs, hospitality venues and managed commercial properties, air conditioning is often one of the most energy-intensive building services. It can support comfort and productivity, but it can also increase running costs if the system is not maintained, controlled or reviewed properly.

That is why air conditioning should be included in any commercial EPC improvement plan.

At Azure Electrical Ltd, our air conditioning services, mechanical services, electrical services and control panel services support businesses that need practical, compliant and efficient building services.

This guide explains how air conditioning can affect commercial energy performance, what TM44 inspections mean, how better controls can reduce waste and what facilities teams should review before planning upgrades.

What Is a Commercial EPC Rating?

An Energy Performance Certificate, or EPC, rates how energy efficient a building is. For business premises, GOV.UK explains that an EPC rates a building from A to G, with A being the most efficient and G being the least efficient.

Official reference: GOV.UK Energy Performance Certificates for your business premises

For commercial landlords, EPC ratings matter because non-domestic rented property generally needs to meet minimum energy efficiency standards before it can be let, unless a valid exemption applies.

Official reference: Non-domestic private rented property minimum energy efficiency standard

For occupiers and facilities teams, EPC performance also matters because it can affect energy costs, comfort, planned maintenance and future upgrade decisions.

Can Air Conditioning Affect an EPC Rating?

Yes, air conditioning can affect a commercial EPC rating because it forms part of the building’s fixed services and contributes to calculated energy demand.

An efficient, well-controlled cooling system may support better energy performance. An old or poorly managed system may increase energy use and weaken the building’s overall energy profile.

Air conditioning can affect performance through:

• System efficiency

• Age and condition of equipment

• Cooling demand

• Control settings

• Zoning

• Operating hours

• Maintenance quality

• Refrigerant condition and leaks

• Oversizing or undersizing

• Interaction with heating and ventilation

• Whether systems run when areas are unoccupied

A good EPC improvement plan should look at cooling alongside lighting, heating, ventilation, controls, insulation and wider electrical infrastructure.

Azure’s related article on how to improve a commercial EPC rating with electrical upgrades provides the broader framework for this.

Why Air Conditioning Is Often Overlooked

Lighting upgrades are easy to see. Solar panels are visible. Heat pumps are often discussed as part of long-term decarbonisation planning.

Air conditioning can be less obvious because much of the system is hidden above ceilings, in plant rooms, on roofs or behind controls.

However, air conditioning can waste energy quietly when:

• Filters are dirty

• Controls are set incorrectly

• Systems run outside occupied hours

• Heating and cooling operate against each other

• Spaces are cooled unnecessarily

• Units are poorly maintained

• Faults are not investigated

• Occupants override controls

• Old systems are kept running beyond their efficient life

For busy commercial buildings, these small inefficiencies can build up over time.

TM44 Air Conditioning Inspections: What Businesses Need to Know

TM44 inspections are one of the most important air conditioning compliance points for commercial property teams.

GOV.UK states that all air conditioning systems with an effective rated output of more than 12kW must be regularly inspected by an energy assessor, with inspections no more than five years apart.

Official reference: GOV.UK Guide to air conditioning inspections in buildings

Facilities teams should check:

• Whether the building’s system is over the 12kW threshold

• Whether the 12kW applies to combined systems under the same control

• When the last inspection was completed

• Whether the TM44 report is available

• Whether recommendations have been reviewed

• Whether any action has been taken since the last report

• Whether the building has changed since the last inspection

TM44 is not the same as routine servicing. It is an energy assessment of the air conditioning system. Servicing focuses on condition and maintenance. Both matter.

Azure’s guide on air conditioning servicing for offices and hospitality is a useful supporting article for businesses looking at practical maintenance.

1. Review System Age and Condition

Older air conditioning systems may still work, but that does not mean they are operating efficiently.

Facilities teams should review:

• Age of equipment

• Service history

• Fault history

• Manufacturer support

• Parts availability

• Energy performance

• User complaints

• Noise issues

• Refrigerant type

• Frequency of repairs

• Whether replacement is becoming more sensible than repair

If an old system breaks down frequently, struggles to maintain temperature or uses outdated refrigerant, it may be time to consider whether continued repair is still the best option.

A planned review gives the business time to budget properly rather than waiting for a major summer failure.

2. Check Controls and Time Schedules

Controls are one of the biggest opportunities for reducing wasted energy.

A system may be efficient on paper but waste energy if it is running at the wrong times or cooling spaces that are not occupied.

Facilities teams should review:

• Time schedules

• Set points

• Occupancy patterns

• Zoning

• Remote controllers

• User overrides

• Weekend settings

• Holiday settings

• Out-of-hours operation

• Heating and cooling conflicts

In offices, meeting rooms may only be occupied part of the day. In pubs and clubs, peak cooling demand may be tied to trading hours and event schedules. In schools, rooms may have different term-time and holiday patterns.

Azure’s control panel services can support sites where building services rely on controls, panels, timers or linked systems.

3. Avoid Heating and Cooling Conflicts

One of the most common energy-waste problems in commercial buildings is heating and cooling operating against each other.

This can happen when:

• Heating and cooling set points overlap

• Different systems serve the same area

• Staff override controls

• Zones are poorly configured

• A room layout has changed

• Control settings are outdated

• Separate contractors manage different systems

The building may feel comfortable, but energy is being wasted in the background.

Facilities teams should review whether air conditioning, heating and ventilation are working together properly.

Azure provides mechanical services, including heating, ventilation and air conditioning, which helps clients view building services as one connected system.

4. Maintain Filters, Coils and Airflow

Poor maintenance can reduce air conditioning performance and increase energy use.

Systems may need to work harder when filters are dirty, coils are blocked or airflow is restricted.

A maintenance review should include:

• Filter condition

• Indoor unit airflow

• Outdoor unit condition

• Coil cleanliness

• Obstructions around units

• Fan operation

• Drainage and condensate

• Noise and vibration

• Signs of leaks

• User complaints by area

The goal is not only to prevent breakdowns. It is also to keep the system operating as efficiently as possible.

Azure’s air conditioning services can support planned servicing, inspection, reporting and remedial recommendations for commercial clients.

5. Check F-Gas Responsibilities

Some air conditioning systems contain fluorinated greenhouse gases, commonly known as F-gases. These systems can require leak checks depending on the type and quantity of gas in the equipment.

GOV.UK’s F-gas guidance explains that leak checking frequency is based on the amount of F-gas in the equipment measured in tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.

Official reference: GOV.UK Checking F-gas equipment for leaks

For facilities teams, this means air conditioning maintenance should also consider:

• Whether the system contains F-gas

• Whether leak checks are required

• Whether records are being kept

• Whether leaks have been repaired and rechecked

• Whether the contractor is suitably qualified

• Whether refrigerant issues affect long-term replacement planning

F-gas checks are not the same as an EPC or TM44 inspection, but they are an important part of responsible air conditioning management.

6. Consider Replacement When Repair No Longer Makes Sense

Repairing an older air conditioning system may be sensible in the short term. But repeated repairs can become poor value if the system is inefficient, unreliable or no longer suited to the building.

Replacement may be worth considering if:

• Breakdowns are frequent

• Parts are hard to source

• Energy use is high

• Cooling performance is poor

• The system is noisy

• Refrigerant issues are becoming a concern

• Controls are outdated

• Maintenance costs are rising

• The building layout has changed

• EPC improvement is a priority

A replacement project should review electrical supply, local isolation, containment, controls, condensate routes, access and future maintenance.

Where electrical works are needed, Azure’s electrical installation and electrical remedial work services can support the associated installation requirements.

7. Coordinate Air Conditioning With Ventilation

Air conditioning and ventilation are not the same thing, but they affect how people experience the building.

Air conditioning controls temperature. Ventilation helps supply fresh air and remove stale or contaminated air.

If ventilation is poor, a room may feel uncomfortable even if the cooling is working. If air conditioning is running hard because ventilation or occupancy is poorly managed, energy use may rise unnecessarily.

HSE guidance on workplace ventilation explains the importance of providing adequate ventilation in enclosed workplace areas.

Official reference: HSE Ventilation in the workplace

Azure’s ventilation services can support commercial sites where airflow, extract, controls and mechanical performance need review alongside cooling.

8. Use Air Conditioning Data to Support Better Decisions

Facilities teams should track more than whether the system is “working”.

Useful information includes:

• Service history

• Fault patterns

• Energy use

• Occupant complaints

• TM44 recommendations

• F-gas records where relevant

• Control settings

• Zones with repeated issues

• Repairs completed

• Parts replaced

• Replacement recommendations

This gives managers a clearer view of whether the system should be repaired, adjusted, controlled differently or replaced.

Azure’s article on compliance calendars for property managers is useful for organising recurring inspection, servicing and compliance tasks across the year.

9. Think About Air Conditioning During Refurbishment or Layout Changes

Air conditioning often becomes less efficient when the building changes but the system does not.

This can happen when:

• Offices are reconfigured

• Meeting rooms are added

• Occupancy increases

• Partitions change airflow

• Hospitality areas are extended

• Server or equipment rooms are added

• Opening hours change

• New tenant areas are created

A cooling system designed for the old layout may not suit the new one.

Before refurbishment works, facilities teams should review whether the air conditioning and controls still match the planned layout.

Azure supports office and corporate sites, education settings, pubs, clubs and assisted living environments, where layout, occupancy and user needs can vary significantly.

10. Keep Air Conditioning Aligned With Approved Document L

Approved Document L gives guidance on the conservation of fuel and power in buildings. GOV.UK published the 2026 edition of Approved Document L, including Volume 2 for buildings other than dwellings.

Official reference: GOV.UK Approved Document L 2026

For commercial projects, this reinforces the need to think about fixed building services, including systems such as heating, cooling, ventilation, controls and lighting, as part of energy-performance planning.

If a business is altering, replacing or upgrading air conditioning, it should consider how the work fits into the building’s broader energy strategy.

Air Conditioning and EPC Improvement Checklist

Use this checklist when reviewing cooling systems in a commercial building.

Common Air Conditioning Energy Mistakes

Leaving Systems Running Out of Hours

Cooling empty spaces is one of the easiest forms of energy waste to overlook.

Ignoring TM44 Recommendations

A TM44 report is not just a compliance document. It can highlight efficiency improvements that should feed into maintenance and upgrade planning.

Treating AC and Heating Separately

If heating and cooling are managed in isolation, they may end up working against each other.

Only Servicing After a Breakdown

Reactive maintenance can miss smaller issues that reduce efficiency long before a system fails.

Forgetting About Controls

Controls, zoning and schedules can make a major difference to energy performance.

When Should a Business Review Its Air Conditioning?

A commercial building should review its air conditioning if:

• The EPC rating is low

• Energy costs are increasing

• The system is over 12kW and TM44 status is unclear

• Occupants complain about hot or cold areas

• Controls are regularly overridden

• Heating and cooling appear to conflict

• The building layout has changed

• The system breaks down often

• F-gas records are incomplete

• A refurbishment is planned

• The building is being prepared for sale or letting

• Air conditioning replacement is being considered

A review gives facilities teams the chance to act before breakdowns, compliance gaps or energy waste become more expensive.

How Azure Electrical Ltd Can Help

Azure Electrical Ltd supports commercial clients with air conditioning, mechanical services, electrical installation, remedial works, controls and compliance-led maintenance.

For businesses reviewing air conditioning and EPC performance, Azure can help with:

• Air conditioning servicing

• Cooling system condition reviews

• Control and schedule checks

• Control panel support

• Electrical supply and isolation checks

• Electrical installation works

• Remedial works

• Ventilation coordination

• Compliance-led reporting

• Planned maintenance recommendations

Azure can also support wider EPC improvement planning through LED lighting, controls, mechanical services and electrical infrastructure reviews.

To discuss air conditioning support for your commercial building, visit the contact page.

Final Thoughts

Air conditioning can have a real impact on commercial energy performance.

A system that is well maintained, correctly controlled and suited to the building can support comfort while helping reduce unnecessary energy waste. A system that is old, poorly controlled or ignored until it fails can do the opposite.

For businesses looking to improve EPC performance, air conditioning should be reviewed alongside lighting, heating, ventilation, controls and electrical infrastructure.

The best approach is planned and practical: check the EPC, confirm TM44 status, review controls, maintain the system, coordinate with ventilation and keep clear records.

If your building relies on air conditioning, now is the right time to make sure it is helping your energy strategy rather than quietly working against it.