Air conditioning maintenance will ensure that you do not have to spend extra money on repairs and replacements throughout the year. And, you can ensure that your air conditioning unit functions efficiently by following some simple tips.

Consulting an air conditioning technician is one of the ways in which you can ensure that the device functions properly. Monthly maintenance visits will ensure that the air conditioning unit is in good working order. The more regular the visits, the better the chance a technician has of catching problems early on.

You can also keep the device in good condition by using it infrequently. Use the unit only when required. Cover the windows with blinds to maintain the temperature of the interior of the room. Keep your room as clean as possible to limit the amount of dust that the air conditioner has to deal with.

Check the components of the air conditioning unit thoroughly at least once a month. Change the air filters to ensure that the unit does not have to overwork because it is clogged up. Check the ducts for build-up of dust.

Follow these simple considerations to ensure that your air conditioning unit performs well and make sure you pay it special attention during the summer months.

As climate change is threatening to increasingly affect the environment, businesses are being urged to fight against global warming. Governments and environmental agencies are asking companies to become more energy efficient and reduce their carbon footprint. This is mainly because of the kinds of equipment companies use, including air conditioning.

Reducing carbon footprints

Poor energy efficiency sees companies lose vast amounts of money. As the urgency and scale of this energy waste is so phenomenal, businesses cannot ignore it any longer. In fact, using energy efficiently has become the most important concern for reducing costs for businesses. Companies have been provided with a number of ways to reduce energy consumption and costs. Adopting these energy saving measures will not only reduce their carbon footprint on the environment, but can also save a lot of money for these companies.

Assessment advice and tools

The Carbon Trust has provided companies with a number of products and tools that have been designed to aid companies in assessing and refining their energy use. Assessment facilities for offices can help to calculate carbon emissions and can show exactly where energy can be saved. The Carbon Trust is offering an Action Plan Tool that provides companies with key places where savings can be made.

In addition to this, the Carbon Trust is also offering low carbon technologies and designs to companies that have to undergo design modifications to save energy.

In the year 2006, the Oxford University Press named ‘carbon neutral’ as the term of the year. The following year UK businesses had a meeting conducted to discuss issues related to climate change and the various methods that could be put to action to reduce carbon footprints.

Adopting a few measures can help you reduce business CO2 usage or output:

• Turn off the electrical goods when not needed.
• Switch off computers, photocopiers, printers and chargers during the night.
• Turn of the light when business premises are not in use.

This adds up to significant economic and footprint savings during a whole financial year.

According to the UK Carbon Trust, the carbon footprint is the total set of greenhouse gas emissions caused directly and indirectly by an individual, organization, event or product.

The Carbon Trust published a scheme to measure a product’s carbon emissions. This scheme, termed ‘cradle to grave’ specifies that a company must be able to measure the total carbon emissions from the sourcing of raw materials to dumping of any given product. As soon as this scheme of UK carbon trust comes into effect it will charge the carbon generated against extraction, production, transportation, distribution and disposal of the goods.

There are certain areas where a product’s carbon footprint can be considerably reduced and using air conditioning units that run on alternatives to R22 gases is one of them.

Carbon footprints are the total set of the greenhouse gas emissions caused by machines and industries. Carbon footprints are also referred to as GHGs. An organisation can measure the carbon footprint by undertaking the GHG emission assessment. Once the size of the GHG is known, effective steps can be taken to improve the standard of any organisation, city or nation.

Online calculators are also devised to check the emission by an organisation. The basic indicator will only provide information based on the electric usage. The calculation may require the information pertaining to your fuel usage, employee travel, etc.

Listed below are some areas where costs can be cut by following the GHG results:

Air conditioner: These machines can take up to 90% of consumption in an organisation. They are expensive to maintain too. You can start saving the carbon footprints by operating them at 24˚C. Make sure you are not producing heat or cold beyond requirement. Keep the machines in good condition by regular servicing.

Combined heat and power (CHP): The CHPs are great way to save money as both systems run simultaneously. These units are smartly designed to consume less energy. If the units are well maintained and installed then CO2 emission reduces automatically.

Lighting: Lighting accounts for almost 40% of energy consumption in an organisation. You can use energy efficient lamps and fluorescent tubes. The occupancy sensor will maker the amount of light required for a certain population.

The GHG assessment is an efficient way to cut down the cost in an organisation. The ways to mitigate the carbon footprints are using wind energy, solar plants and reforestation.

From 1st January, 2010, the production of R-22 for new air conditioners will be reduced, as a result of a new environmental regulation. This refrigerant is used in chilling equipment, especially in air conditioning units.

Why will manufactures still be producing R-22?

There are many commercial and industrial institutions where R-22 is still used by the maintenance managers. These managers require R-22 for air conditioning units and also for other refrigeration equipment. This is the reason of the continual production of R-22, but the manufactures will be producing it in a restricted amount for the maintenance of the existing systems.

This means that R-22 will be available, even after January, 1, as the regulations say it is the phasing out of R-22 and not eliminating it. The manufacturers of R-22 will limit the production level by as much as 25 percent.

Moreover, recycling of R-22 will be done, as recycling it does not have many effects on the environment. The recycled refrigerant will also help in the smooth transition from R-22 to its alternatives.

As time progresses, the price of R-22 will also increase to some extent due to limited availability, however this should be negligible by this point as alternatives will be more accessible.

Carbon labelling has been anticipated in several countries. This would teach consumers much more about their impact on the environment. Many self-governing organisations, such as the Carbon Trust in the UK, have begun pilot programmes to let companies review their emissions and acquire a label to display their footprint. This will allow consumers to make comparisons between their footprint and the others, as with energy or water star ratings.

According to the Carbon Trust a carbon footprint is the total set of greenhouse gas emissions caused directly and indirectly by an individual, organisation, event or product.

Every time you utilise energy produced from fossil fuels, be it oil or coal, you are producing carbon emissions, which raises the level of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Your carbon footprint is formed by day-to-day commercial and personal activities such as driving, flying, heating or cooling your home and by using electrical appliances.

Some other companies have already started to sign up to the Carbon Reduction Label. The organisation is also working to get other companies on board for the project. Currently, a wide range of products has been chosen to exhibit the label, from pre-cooked microwaveable rice to LG washing machines.

Some countries have already begun research to observe the benefits of carbon labelling.

The Carbon Trust is a group started by the government to help businesses and other various public organisations to reduce their carbon emissions. The main task of The Carbon Trust is to provide help to any governmental or private organisation for improving their energy efficiency while also developing technology that enables them to reduce their carbon dioxide emissions. The Carbon Trust is a one of a kind organisation which is continuously working towards making the UK extremely energy efficient.

The core activity that The Carbon Trust concerns itself with is to provide all kinds of support, help and assistance to companies and organisations in terms of making their activities environmentally friendly. The Carbon Trust has also shown itself to be quite proficient at this task and now helps businesses in the UK save up to a million pounds each day in terms of cost savings due to increased energy efficiency.

The Carbon Trust also conducts a lot of research and development into environmentally friendly sources of energy. These include promotion of fuel cell technologies, wind energy generation, harnessing solar energy etc.

The Carbon Trust is also known to finance a lot of small and medium sized companies who want to invest in greener equipment but do not have the necessary funds to do so.

The Carbon Trust is now offering its expert guidance along with 100 million dollars in interest free loans to companies which are looking for modern and more power efficient equipment. It is known that a lot of companies in the UK still use outdated equipment, which utilises a lot of power and is also not quite as efficient as far as productivity goes.

This scheme unveiled by The Carbon Trust is known as the Big Business Refit Scrappage scheme. This scheme is being fronted by Theo Paphitis and is offering companies up to £400,000 each. This amount is being given to companies in the form of interest-free, unsecured loans which can then be used to replace ageing machinery.

The Carbon Trust has offered these incentives to business owners at a time when most banks are becoming skeptical and are charging increasing amounts of interests on loans. This scheme might just be the best way for businesses to strengthen their infrastructure while also reducing their running costs at the same time.

Stewart Company is the first manufacturing company to utilise this £400,000 incentive to their benefit. Lee Mowle, who is the chairman of Stewart Company, stated that their company is able to save a huge amount on their outgoings due to the brand new equipment.

According to the Carbon Trust Survey, 71% of the councils said that tackling climate change is extremely important for them and 1% of the councils said that they are prepared for the Government’s carbon reduction commitment next April.

The Government announced that the councils will no longer need to give an account for its implication in next year’s budget.

The most common challenge cited by the local authorities was lack of financial incentives from central government to reduce their carbon footprints. 40% of the respondents said that this was one of the biggest challenges they faced. 25% of the councils said that the biggest problem is a lack of will in local politics.

Head of Hillingdon LBC, Kevin Byrne said that they were still measuring carbon emissions but later on they will be able to reduce these emissions. He also said that they have signed up with the Carbon Trust and they have a target to reduce the carbon footprint 40% by 2015.

Harry Morrison, general manager of Carbon Trust Standard said that they would provide financial incentives to the local government in order to reduce carbon emissions. They have had a good take up in the local government sector.

Head of Local Government Information Unit centre for local sustainability, Andy Johnston said that councils should ensure the energy, finance and legal teams are working together.

The Carbon Trust - one of the pivotal figures in the fight against increasing carbon emissions – has lauded the effort of the firms in Scotland. These firms have managed to save money by reducing power consumption.

Figures released by the Carbon Trust said that several firms have also reduced the amount of fuel consumption. Several firms are also turning to the Carbon Trust to seek advice concerning how to reduce power consumption and carbon emission.

Several individuals thought that the ongoing recession will shift the focus of the companies from environment protection to increased production. On the contrary, all the firms have showed their eagerness to adopt schemes that will protect the environment.

However, the Federation of Small Businesses feels that companies are turning towards the Carbon Trust with the sole purpose of seeking loans to aid their business. They are also of the opinion that the loan scheme should be more effective. Reductions in the power consumption lead to the saving of 210,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide. The Carbon Trust in return issued around £950,000 interest free loans to small enterprises in Scotland to help them to use energy efficiently.

The Carbon Trust was set up six years back with the motive of curbing carbon emissions and tackling climate change. They also offer help to various businesses to reduce carbon emission levels. Individuals can also help the Carbon trust in their struggle by avoiding the use of refrigerants in air conditioning units.