Prepare to deliver year-round comfort AIR CONDITIONING, COOLING & VENTILATION
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The UK’s changing climate is turning overheating and domestic cooling into mainstream building services considerations. As building standards and refrigerant regulations evolve to meet growing demand, Harry Budd, marketing director at Logic4training, explains the skills and qualifications HVAC engineers need to deliver safe and efficient low carbon cooling systems
he UK has traditionally been a heating-dominated market, however, rising temperatures and record-breaking heatwaves in recent years have brought another challenge to the table:
overheating. With temperatures regularly exceeding 30°C and a heatwave that lasted for 37 days, 2026 is the hottest summer on record, beating the previous record set just last year. According to a YouGov poll, 86% of people said their homes were too hot during June 2026. As homeowners prepare for hotter summers, demand for domestic air conditioning is increasing, while air-to-air heat pumps are gaining traction as a technology capable of providing both heating and cooling. However, poorly designed or installed cooling systems can increase energy consumption and carbon emissions.
For building services engineers and HVAC contractors, the challenge is to deliver effective cooling while navigating changing refrigerant rules and demand for low carbon, low cost heating and cooling.
Designing out overheating
Mechanical cooling should not be viewed as the default response to overheating, but as a wider part of a building’s cooling strategy. Part O of the Building Regulations requires new homes to limit unwanted solar gains through passive measures in the first instance. Window orientation, shading, glazing specification and ventilation can all play a role in reducing heat gains before mechanical cooling is considered. CIBSE’s TM59 methodology for assessing
overheating in residential buildings, which was updated in 2026, similarly promotes a climate-resilient approach, with passive design forming an important foundation. It provides clear criteria and weather file requirements so designers can test whether new dwellings and major refurbishments are at risk of overheating before anything is built, with a strong emphasis on passive cooling and good ventilation. Rather than prescribing exact solutions, TM59 sets the framework that shapes decisions on shading, window openings, mechanical ventilation and, only where necessary, cooling options such as air conditioning and heat pumps. For installers, understanding TM59 helps them align their cooling and heat pump work with overheating guidance, making homes more comfortable, low carbon and compliant as UK summers get hotter.
Technology for year-round comfort
Around four million UK homes now have air conditioning, of which approximately 1.9 million use built-in systems. The number of installations has doubled over the past three years,
demonstrating how quickly mechanical cooling is becoming established in the domestic market. But the longer-term opportunity for the HVAC sector goes beyond simply responding to hotter summers. As expectations around indoor comfort evolve, homeowners increasingly want systems that can maintain suitable conditions throughout the year, responding to both heating and cooling demands as required. Air-to-air (A2A) heat pumps are one example of a technology that can provide both space heating and cooling from the same system. With funding available under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS), homeowners are becoming more aware of A2A systems and being incentivised to install them with a £2,500 grant towards installation costs. Reversible air-source heat pumps can similarly switch between heating and cooling modes, while some air-to-water systems can be configured to provide cooling as well as heating, depending on the system design and terminal units used. Other technologies, including heat recovery ventilation and advanced controls, can also contribute to maintaining comfortable indoor conditions while managing energy use.
Refrigerant transition creates new demands
The move towards integrated heating, cooling and ventilation creates opportunities to develop expertise across a wider range of technologies, many of which, including A2A heat pumps, require specialist training in refrigerant handling. Ongoing changes to the F-Gas Regulations
are driving manufacturers towards refrigerants with lower Global Warming Potential (GWP). Since January 2025, new single-split air conditioning systems containing less than 3kg of
refrigerant with a GWP of 750 or more cannot be placed on the market. R-410A, widely used in air conditioning, is among the refrigerants affected.
Lower-GWP alternatives can have different operating characteristics and, in some cases, introduce additional safety considerations. R290, for example, has a very low GWP but is highly flammable. Engineers working with systems containing flammable refrigerants therefore need an appropriate understanding of the associated risks, equipment requirements and installation practices.
Level 3 F-gas training
The growing complexity of the market means formal F-Gas training remains an important consideration for engineers working with fixed air conditioning and heat pump systems. The LCL Level 3 RQF F-Gas qualification
provides Category 1 certification, which covers all F-gas activities, including installation, maintenance, servicing and decommissioning of systems containing F-gases. It is suitable for experienced refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump engineers.
The five-day course combines theoretical and practical learning, looking at refrigeration principles, environmental considerations, F-Gas legislation, refrigerant handling, leak detection and recovery. Engineers also develop practical skills in working with components including compressors, condensers, evaporators and expansion valves, as well as constructing leak-tight refrigeration pipework. The Level 3 qualification is re-assessed every 5 years to ensure knowledge is up to date with the latest regulatory changes.
Prepare for a cooling-led future
During the hot weather this summer, we saw a huge surge in demand for F-gas training at our centres, with courses booked up months in advance. However, rather than be viewed as the result of a couple of hot summers, the growth in domestic cooling indicates a broader trend towards integrated HVAC. The distinction between heating and cooling is becoming less relevant to the end user, who increasingly expects a building to provide comfortable temperatures throughout the year. At the same time, regulatory changes
are influencing which refrigerants can be used and best practice guidance is placing greater emphasis on overheating and climate resilience. The next generation of residential HVAC systems will need to do more than simply heat or cool. They will need to respond intelligently to changing conditions, work efficiently within increasingly airtight buildings and be trained to safely use refrigerants with a lower environmental impact.
https://www.logic4training.co.uk/
8 BUILDING SERVICES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER OCTOBER 2026 Read the latest at:
www.bsee.co.uk
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