Rob Tysoe, manager of Breathe Group’s air conditioning division, has some tips on selecting comfort cooling and heating systems.

• Select equipment that’s energy efficient, not just cheap

• Check out the government’s www.eca.gov.uk website for environmental products with up to 100% tax relief in the first year of purchase

• Ensure systems contain R410a ozone-friendly refrigerant

• Use a company with industry accreditation and engineers with an NVQ, City and Guilds or Refrigerant Safe Handling certification

• Current inverter-driven equipment produces energy and cost-efficient cooling/heating systems, offers high coefficients of performance and is less disruptive to install

• Choose the right control system. Smaller spilt systems (infra-red/wall mounted) have 24-hour, seven-day control. Larger systems (ie VRV and VRF) use a building management system, which interacts with other building services equipment such as fans and lights.

Source

Building Sustainable Design