The Energy Performance of Building Directive 2002 is a European Directive designed to reduce carbon emissions and promote energy efficiency. This directive was implemented into UK legislation in the form of the Energy Performance of Buildings Regulations 2007.

Part 4 of the Energy Performance of Buildings Regulations requires the person who has control of the operation of any air conditioning systems in a building that have a collective cooling capacity greater than 12kW to ensure the overall system is inspected by an accredited air conditioning inspector at regular intervals (at least every 5 years).

CIBSE Technical Memorandum TM44 provides guidance on conducting an air conditioning inspection to satisfy the requirements of the Directive as expressed in the various regulations in the UK. The focus is on systems that use refrigerants to produce cooling.

Unlike the requirements for Energy Performance Certificates, these air conditioning inspections are not triggered by sale or rental, but have been given definite deadlines for compliance:

First inspection of all existing air conditioning systems over 250 kW cooling capacity should have been completed by 4 January 2009;

First inspection of all existing air conditioning systems over 12 kW should have been completed by 4 January 2011;

New air conditioning systems over 12 kW installed after January 2008 must be inspected within 5 years of being put into service.

This means that any systems over 12 kW that have not already been inspected are currently breaching the regulations and therefore liable for a fine or further prosecution.