Air conditioning for schools, installed in the holidays and inspected to TM44

Air conditioning for schools means cooling the rooms that overheat or hold heat-producing equipment, such as classrooms, IT and server rooms, staff rooms and halls, and we install, maintain, repair and inspect it. Our engineers fit systems during the summer holiday, service them on a PPM schedule, and carry out the TM44 inspection that the law requires where a school’s systems total more than 12kW. We are approved by Daikin, Mitsubishi and Samsung, and we have maintained air conditioning across Chichester College Group for over 20 years.

Talk to us about school air conditioning See the education hub

01420 566822

What we deliver

Cooling that suits a school building and a school calendar

Schools rarely need air conditioning everywhere. They need it in the rooms where heat builds up or where equipment has to stay cool, and they need it installed without losing teaching time. We survey the room, size the system to the heat load, and programme the install for the summer holiday. Once it is running, a PPM schedule keeps it efficient, and our inspection covers the TM44 duty.

Classroom and hall cooling using split, multi-split and VRF systems from Daikin, Mitsubishi and Samsung
IT, comms and server room cooling, including resilient duty and standby arrangements
Staff room, office, library and reception cooling
Installation planned for the summer holiday, half-terms and weekends
PPM servicing, F-Gas leak checks and repairs, with 24/7 emergency cover for contract clients
TM44 inspections and reports for systems over the 12kW threshold

Rossair engineer servicing an external air-source unit

Air conditioning in detail

Where schools use air conditioning, and how we handle it

Each room type has different needs, so we treat them separately.

Classrooms that overheat

Top-floor classrooms, rooms with large south-facing glazing and modular buildings can build up heat that pupils and staff feel by early summer. Before specifying cooling, we check whether ventilation, shading or controls would solve it, because they can be cheaper to run. Where cooling is right, we size the system to the room and place the units to avoid noise and draughts at desk height.

School ventilation and BB101

IT and server rooms

Network cabinets and server rooms need cooling all year, including when the school is closed. We design them with standby capacity, so one failed unit does not take the room offline, and with alarms where the school wants them. Our server room page covers the options in more detail.

Server room air conditioning

Staff rooms and offices

Admin offices, reception areas and staff rooms are often cooled by older split units that have been added over the years. We survey what is there, repair or replace failing units, and rationalise the estate under one maintenance schedule.

Halls and large spaces

Assembly halls, dining halls and sports halls need larger systems or ducted systems designed around the volume of air. We assess the options with ventilation and heating in mind, so the cooling works with the plant already there.

Installation in the holidays

Most school air conditioning is installed in the summer holiday, which means the order, access and any electrical work are fixed in the spring. We agree the programme with your site manager, work around other contractors, and commission before pupils return.

Maintenance and repair

School systems that are filtered, cleaned and leak-checked on a PPM schedule are less likely to fail in the first hot week. For contract clients we provide 24/7 emergency cover. If your units are not under contract, we can survey them and propose a schedule.

PPM and planned maintenance

Chichester College Group: air conditioning maintained across 11 campuses

20+

Years at Chichester College Group

Campuses under one PPM contract

12kW

TM44 inspection threshold

24/7

Emergency cover for contract clients

Chichester College Group’s estate includes Chichester College, Met College Brighton, Brinsbury, Haywards Heath and Worthing, all under one PPM contract. The estate includes rooftop VRF systems at Chichester College. After two decades on site, we know what is installed, how it performs and when it needs attention, which is how we plan work around timetables and holidays.

Compliance

What the law and good practice require

TM44CIBSE guidance used for the air conditioning inspection. Applies to systems with a combined effective rated output of more than 12kW.
5-year cycleInspections must be no more than five years apart, carried out by an accredited energy assessor, with the report lodged on the register.
REFCOM F-GasF-Gas registered engineers for refrigerant handling, leak checks and records.
SFG20PPM schedules for air conditioning, so tasks and records follow an industry standard.
Manufacturer approvalApproved by Daikin, Mitsubishi and Samsung.
CDM 2015Construction (Design and Management) Regulations: duties on installation projects and the health and safety file at handover.

More for school and college estates

TM44 inspectionsAir conditioning inspections for systems over 12kW, with the report lodged on the register.Server room air conditioningResilient cooling for IT and comms rooms.Education estates hubHVAC maintenance, PPM and MEP work for schools, academies, colleges and universities.School ventilation and BB101Ventilation and overheating in classrooms, and when cooling is the answer.PPM and planned maintenancePPM to SFG20 with 24/7 emergency cover for contract clients.Chichester College GroupThe chiller replacement and heat pump work behind our 2025 HVR Award.

Frequently asked

Questions about air conditioning for schools

Do schools need air conditioning?

Not usually throughout the building. Most classrooms rely on opening windows, ventilation and shading, and cooling is added where those are not enough, such as top-floor rooms, modular buildings, halls and rooms with heat-producing equipment. IT and server rooms are the exception, as they need cooling all year. We survey the room first and tell you if ventilation or controls would solve it for less.

What type of air conditioning suits a classroom?

Wall or ceiling-mounted split units are common for single rooms, and multi-split or VRF systems suit blocks with several rooms on one outdoor unit. The right choice depends on room size, noise limits, power supply and where the outdoor unit can go. We work with Daikin, Mitsubishi and Samsung equipment and recommend on the survey, not on a brand.

When is the best time to install air conditioning in a school?

The summer holiday, when the building is empty and noisy or disruptive work does not affect lessons. Hot weather can arrive in May and June, so the survey and order are best fixed in the spring term. Smaller jobs can be done over half-term or a weekend. We commission before pupils return.

Does a school need a TM44 air conditioning inspection?

Yes, if its air conditioning systems have an effective rated output of more than 12kW. Several units under one person’s control count as one system, so a school with many small split units can exceed the threshold. The regulations contain no exemption for schools. The rules cover England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own.

How often is a TM44 inspection required?

Inspections must be no more than five years apart. For systems first put into service on or after 1 January 2008, the first inspection was due within five years of that date. The inspector must be an accredited energy assessor, and the report must be lodged on the register to be valid. We carry out TM44 inspections and can combine them with your maintenance visit.

What happens if a school does not have a TM44 report?

Trading Standards enforce the requirement, and GOV.UK gives the fixed penalty for not having a report as £300. Failing to provide a report within seven days of a request carries a separate £200 penalty. The inspection report also lists efficiency recommendations, although acting on them is not a legal requirement.

Can you maintain air conditioning we did not install?

Yes. We survey what is there, record the make, age and condition of each unit, and propose a PPM schedule. Units that have reached the end of their life can be replaced in the holidays, and for contract clients we provide 24/7 emergency cover for breakdowns.

If we’re not the right fit, we’ll tell you who is

Talk to us about air conditioning for your school

Your enquiry goes to our technical team. We call back within one working day.