VRF, VRV, multi-split or cassettes — choosing the right commercial system
VRF (Variable Refrigerant Flow — Daikin terminology) and VRV (Variable Refrigerant Volume — Mitsubishi terminology) are the same technology under different brand names: one large outdoor unit feeding up to 50+ indoor heads with individual room control, variable refrigerant flow tracking real-time demand. It's the right answer for offices over ~150m², hotels, retail multiples and any building with many zones. Multi-splits cap out at 5–6 indoor heads and suit smaller offices, salons and clinics. Ceiling cassettes (4-way blow) are the right indoor unit choice for larger square rooms, dining rooms and open-plan offices. Ducted concealed units sit above ceiling voids and feed multiple grilles where aesthetics demand zero visible indoor unit. We design the system around the building, not the other way round.
F-Gas compliance for commercial operators
Any commercial system with refrigerant charge over 5 tonnes CO₂-equivalent (roughly 1.4kg R32 or 1.5kg R410A) requires: a leak check by an F-Gas certified contractor at least once a year, a permanent operator log of all servicing/refrigerant additions/removals, and the contractor's F-Gas certification on file. Systems over 50 tCO₂e need bi-annual leak checks. We maintain the operator log for every commercial client, provide it on demand, and flag when changes in regulation affect your obligations. This isn't optional — HSE enforces F-Gas breaches with fines per occurrence.
PPM contracts — what should actually be in one
A proper commercial PPM contract should specify: number of visits per year per unit type (typically 1 service for light load, 2 for office/retail, 4 for restaurants/gyms), the scope of each visit (coil clean, drain flush, refrigerant pressure check, electrical, controls test), response time SLA for breakdowns, hourly rate for chargeable work outside scope, out-of-hours response terms, and a clear escalation path. We write each contract against the building, not from a template — light commercial sees one contract, hospitality sees another.
Out-of-hours and SLA-backed response
Most commercial failures happen at the worst time — Friday afternoon, bank holiday weekend, peak trading. We offer SLA-backed response: 4-hour on-site response within BCP postcodes (24/7), 6-hour response across the wider Dorset/Hampshire patch. Out-of-hours rates are agreed at contract signing, not quoted in the panic of the call. For SLA clients we hold prioritised parts on the shelf for your specific system.
BMS integration, fresh-air and fire interlocks
Most commercial buildings need air conditioning to talk to the wider Building Management System — for schedule control, energy reporting, and crucially for fire alarm interlock (air conditioning must shut down on a fire signal to prevent smoke spread). Fresh-air provision via MVHR or dedicated DX-coil air handling units works alongside the comfort cooling. We design, install and commission all three together — not as separate sub-trades that don't talk to each other.
Sectors we work in across Dorset and Hampshire
Offices (single-let and multi-tenant), retail (single units and small parades), hospitality (restaurants, cafés, bars, hotels), healthcare (dental practices, GP surgeries, private clinics), beauty (salons, spas, treatment rooms), fitness (gyms, studios, sports halls), education (private schools, training providers), and light industrial (workshops, MOT bays, server rooms, comms rooms). Every sector has its own quirks — restaurant cassettes need heavy-duty filtration, salons need humidity control, server rooms need 24/7 redundancy. We design accordingly.
