Carrier urges commercial building upgrades to meet UK net zero goals and unlock financial savings

With 2025 approaching and just a quarter-century remaining for the UK to achieve its net zero goals, Carrier HVAC Serviceis urging building owners and operators to consider the significant environmental and financial benefits of upgrading, modernising, and retrofitting their HVAC systems. Carrier HVAC Service is part of Carrier Global Corporation (NYSE: CARR), global leader in intelligent climate and energy solutions.

Just last month, Adrian Hurley, the new president of the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA), called for UK authorities to support a national effort to improve the energy efficiency and performance of the country’s commercial building stock.

“When you consider that approximately 80% of the buildings in use today will still be in use by 2050, our traditional reactive maintenance model to servicing is no longer enough,” said Ralph Davies, Head of Sales at Carrier Service. “There are more than 750,000 medium- to large-scale existing HVAC units that require technology upgrades to meet efficiency and decarbonisation targets.”

A Ridge report, ‘The Role of Retrofitting our Non-Domestic Buildings in the Race to Net Zero’ in May 2023, found that just 25% of public or private sector organisations had invested in making their buildings more sustainable and just 10% had allocated a budget for retrofitting.

“Upgrading HVAC systems is often a more financially viable solution than replacing them entirely,” continued Davies. “At Carrier, we offer a lifecycle asset management approach, supporting customers at every stage of their system’s life. We begin with an energy baseline analysis, followed by upgrades, and provide ongoing service, maintenance, and monitoring to ensure long-term performance and savings.”

Carrier’s energy audits provide a comprehensive assessment of existing systems, examining original design, adjustments made over time, and future load profiles. This data-driven approach establishes a critical energy usage baseline and seasonal cooling and heating load profiles, which are key to successful decarbonisation.

After completing an audit, Carrier’s technicians present tailored solutions, which may include Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs), evaporative cooling, controls upgrades, or refrigerant conversions. The report also details potential returns on investment, CO2 reductions, and operational savings. Post-upgrade, Carrier offers ongoing diagnostics and performance improvements to optimise systems further.

“Through Abound HVAC Performance, our connected suite of digital services, we continuously monitor and enhance HVAC systems. By analysing data and extracting insights, we can implement predictive maintenance solutions to prevent issues before they arise. This allows our customers to save money, reduce energy use, and contribute to decarbonisation efforts,” added Davies.

Carrier’s lifecycle asset management approach offers building owners and operators significant energy savings, reduced CO2 emissions, and essential support to meet their sustainability targets.

To find out more about Carrier’s life cycle asset management approach, visit: www.carrier.com/commercial/en/uk.