Article 15Inspection of air-conditioning systems
1.Member States shall lay down the necessary measures to establish a regular inspection of the accessible parts of air-conditioning systems of an effective rated output of more than 12 kW. The inspection shall include an assessment of the air-conditioning efficiency and the sizing compared to the cooling requirements of the building. The assessment of the sizing does not have to be repeated as long as no changes were made to this air-conditioning system or as regards the cooling requirements of the building in the meantime.
Member States may reduce the frequency of such inspections or lighten them, as appropriate, where an electronic monitoring and control system is in place.
2.The Member States may set different inspection frequencies depending on the type and effective rated output of the air-conditioning system, whilst taking into account the costs of the inspection of the air-conditioning system and the estimated energy cost savings that may result from the inspection.
3.In laying down the measures referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2 of this Article, Member States shall, as far as is economically and technically feasible, ensure that inspections are carried out in accordance with the inspection of heating systems and other technical systems referred to in Article 14 of this Directive and the inspection of leakages referred to in Regulation (EC) No 842/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 May 2006 on certain fluorinated greenhouse gases(1).
4.As an alternative to paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 Member States may opt to take measures to ensure the provision of advice to users on the replacement of air-conditioning systems or on other modifications to the air-conditioning system which may include inspections to assess the efficiency and appropriate size of the air-conditioning system. The overall impact of this approach shall be equivalent to that arising from the provisions set out in paragraphs 1, 2 and 3.
Where Member States apply the measures referred to in the first subparagraph, they shall, by 30 June 2011 at the latest, submit to the Commission a report on the equivalence of those measures to the measures referred to in paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 of this Article. Member States shall submit these reports to the Commission every three years. The reports may be included in the Energy Efficiency Action Plans referred to in Article 14(2) of Directive 2006/32/EC.
5.After receiving the national report from a Member State about the application of the option as described in paragraph 4, the Commission may request further specific information regarding the requirements and equivalence of the measures set in that paragraph. In this case, the Member State concerned shall present the requested information or propose amendments within nine months.