In August 2026, the UK Government confirmed proposals for privately rented non-domestic buildings over 1,000 sq m in England and Wales to achieve an EPC B rating from 2031, where improvements are considered cost effective. The previously proposed interim EPC C milestone in 2027 will not proceed, giving building owners more time to plan investment.

For owners of larger office buildings, the direction of travel is now clear. Improving the energy performance of existing assets will be increasingly important to maintain their value and potential tenant attraction in an already competitive office sector.

When it comes to building refurbishment with a focus on improving EPC ratings, it’s almost inevitable that HVAC systems will come under scrutiny. Heating, cooling and ventilation account for a significant proportion of energy consumption in commercial buildings, making existing systems a logical focus for performance improvements.

Another factor driving HVAC refurbishments in the UK is our increasingly hot summers. The UK heatwaves of summer 2026 provided another reminder that overheating is becoming a serious consideration for commercial buildings. Air conditioning and effective cooling are also becoming increasingly important to occupiers seeking high-quality office space. Far from being a ‘nice to have,’ air conditioning is a requirement.

Much of the attention during HVAC refurbishment naturally falls on the efficiency of new equipment. Modern chillers, heat pumps, fan coils and controls can all contribute to improved building energy performance, particularly when they replace ageing kit. However, the efficiency achieved in practice will also depend on the condition of the wider system in which that equipment operates.

Water quality is a critical part of that equation. In an existing building, water quality is vital for good HVAC performance. Effective water treatment and well-maintained piped services systems are the most effective ways to ensure good heat transfer in heating and cooling systems. For example, just 2mm of rust can reduce the heat transfer by 5% across component surfaces. While this may seem insignificant, this performance drop will continue and impact energy use in heating systems.

Water quality is an even more important consideration in upgrades where new equipment is connected to existing pipework and distribution systems. This approach can be useful as it not only reduces the cost of updates but also reduces the embodied carbon of refurbishment – another consideration for clients aiming for carbon reduction targets.  The problem is that corrosion products, suspended solids, scale and biological contamination within the existing system can impact the performance of the new equipment

– restricting water flow and creating deposits on heat transfer surfaces in new equipment.

Even relatively small amounts of fouling can affect heat transfer. Pumps and other equipment may then have to work harder to achieve the required indoor conditions, increasing energy consumption and gradually undermining the efficiency improvements the refurbishment was intended to deliver. Water treatment should therefore form part of the HVAC refurbishment strategy from the outset.

Maintaining good water quality throughout operation is equally important to ensure the system continues performing efficiently over its lifetime. Maintaining clean system water helps prevent the build-up of insulating layers on heat transfer surfaces, supporting efficient energy transfer and reducing unnecessary demand on pumps and other equipment.

Enwa’s EnwaMatic Side Stream Filtration water treatment technology is particularly suited to the challenges facing office owners who are looking to renew HVAC systems to meet new standards on energy efficiency.

One of the most important benefits of EnwaMatic is that, as a preliminary step before refurbishment begins,  it can be installed to clean up the bulk flow of water in the HVAC systems. This removes the suspended load of contaminants and conditions the system water chemistry. The backwash process can be set to high frequency to deal with heavily contaminated systems and can be adapted as conditions improve.

This initial removal of corrosion products, suspended solids and other contaminants will improve system operation and management. This strategy provides a clean operating environment and a baseline to assess where to target investment capital in new technologies such as chillers, heat pumps and other high-efficiency equipment.

Project budgets can then be allocated to the systems that will deliver quicker and easier gains in energy efficiency first – and identify where funding is best spent across property portfolios to maximise impact and return.

Once the refurbished system is operational, EnwaMatic then provides continuous side stream filtration and water conditioning. The automated system responds dynamically to water quality, with the media bed filtering suspended solids down to less than 10 microns while helping to inhibit corrosion and provide a harsher environment for bacterial growth.

This ongoing treatment is important because the performance expected from an HVAC refurbishment needs to be maintained over many years. Keeping heat transfer surfaces clean supports efficient energy transfer, reduces unnecessary demand on pumps and equipment and helps protect the energy savings that contribute towards improved EPC performance.

It also supports the growing requirement for reliable cooling. Hotter UK summers mean office cooling systems are likely to operate harder and for longer periods, increasing the importance of maintaining their performance throughout the building lifecycle. Good water quality helps ensure cooling equipment can respond efficiently when demand reaches its peak.

For office owners planning refurbishment ahead of the proposed 2031 EPC B requirement, water treatment should therefore be considered integral to an HVAC retrofit. Enwa’s EnwaMatic water treatment technology1 provides a highly effective, modern way to protect new equipment installed within existing systems and to maintain efficient operation over the longer term, helping owners achieve the performance they need from their refurbishment investment.

 

ABOUT ENWA WATER TECHNOLOGY UK

Enwa Water Technology specialises in water treatment and side stream filtration for heating and cooling systems, with its technology particularly relevant to the mission-critical cooling infrastructure found in data centres. Water quality directly affects heat transfer, flow rates, pumping energy and the reliability of chillers, CRAC units and heat exchangers. Enwa’s solutions are designed to control the contaminants and conditions that can undermine cooling-system performance.

At the centre of its offering is EnwaMatic Side Stream Filtration and Water Treatment. The technology filters suspended solids to below 10 microns while providing corrosion inhibition, scale control and restriction of bacterial growth. The process is self-regulating, responding dynamically to changes in water conditions and providing an alternative to conventional chemical-dosing approaches.

For data centres, Enwa argues that effective water treatment can make a direct contribution to energy efficiency and cooling resilience. Contamination, corrosion and scale can prevent systems from achieving their intended Delta T, increase pumping requirements and compromise heat transfer. These effects can increase energy use while shortening the working life of critical cooling equipment. As AI workloads drive greater server densities and heat loads, maintaining the efficiency of water-based cooling infrastructure becomes increasingly important.

Enwa supports both new-build and refurbishment projects through condition surveys, turnkey installation, commissioning support, technical service and planned maintenance. The company also provides CAD models and Revit families for its products, helping consultants and engineering teams incorporate water-treatment systems into digital project-design workflows. Its CIBSE-accredited CPD can also be tailored specifically to critical cooling systems and data centres.

For further information visit https://www.enwa.co.uk  or email uksales@enwa.com | telephone 01530 830 354 

Visit the DATACENTRE.ME Directory Listing for Enwa Water Technology UK here.

 

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