Adcock Refrigeration and Air Conditioning has launched a campaign to highlight the issue of new refrigerant legislation that could affect more than 50 per cent of UK commercial properties.

EU Regulation 1005/2009 rules that to halt the risk of damage to the ozone layer, hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) are to be phased out completely by 31 December 2014. It is estimated that up to 60 per cent of commercial buildings in the UK still use the HCFC R22.

The R22 Be Aware campaign intends to make those who own, lease or manage commercial properties with air conditioning or refrigeration in the UK aware of how these important changes to legislation might affect them.

In the past, R22 could be used as a top-up fluid for servicing or maintaining refrigeration and air conditioning equipment, but as of 1 January 2015, R22 becomes illegal and the regulation effectively obliges all operators to review, replace or modify essential equipment by the end of 2014. Operators who fail to take any action will find that their systems are unserviceable and could risk extended downtime in order modify or renew equipment from this date onwards.

The regulation puts responsibility for compliance on the ‘operator’ of equipment running on R22, so it is important that, at the very least, operators are aware of what refrigerant they are using and how they will address the issue if it affects them. The laws are strict surrounding the use of R22 and there are penalties for equipment owners and operators who fail to comply.

Commercial director, Paul Brant, said: “Legislation change took place back in 2009, however with such a vast number of commercial properties still using R22, it is clear that operators are either not aware of the legislation or they do not understand how this may affect them from the beginning of next year. We would urge people to take a look at our website and download the Essential Guide to R22 in order to fully understand why they need to take some form of action”.

Adcock is offering a free site survey to any operators who may be affected by the issue and can offer a variety of solutions from modification to replacement. It has also introduced a financial scheme to help operators spread the cost of any replacement systems for up to five years, minimising the impact on cash flow.

For more information and to download the guide visit www.adcock.co.uk/beaware