Cool Services highlights widespread gas overspending among UK firms with existing heat-pump systems.

West Midlands, UK - Cool Services today issued a warning to UK businesses that many commercial buildings are wasting significant amounts of money each winter by failing to use the heating mode built into their existing air-conditioning systems. Modern commercial AC units operate as reversible air-source heat pumps, delivering efficient heating that can dramatically reduce winter energy costs. Yet, the feature remains underused acr                                                                                                                                                     oss offices, retail spaces, hospitality venues and industrial premises.

According to manufacturer data and industry-wide performance testing, heat-pump technology typically produces 2.5 to 4 units of heat for every 1 unit of electricity consumed, making it substantially more efficient than traditional gas heating systems, which generally convert around 85–90% of energy into usable heat. However, Cool Services reports that many businesses rely solely on gas boilers through winter while leaving their AC systems in cooling-only mode or switched off entirely.

“Most commercial buildings already have highly efficient heating technology installed – they’re just not using it,” said Simon Chapman, Cool Services Group Managing Director. “Air-conditioning has evolved far beyond cooling. Today’s systems provide some of the most efficient, controllable heating available, yet many organisations continue to overspend on energy because they don’t realise what their equipment is capable of.”

Cool Services highlights several reasons why heat-pump mode is often overlooked:

• Lack of awareness: Many facilities teams simply don’t know their AC units can heat as well as cool.
• Incorrect system configuration: Without proper setup, buildings can experience conflicting heating and cooling zones, which wastes even more energy.
• Outdated control strategies: Building Management Systems (BMS) may prioritise legacy gas heating by default.
• No optimisation or commissioning: Heat-pump performance declines significantly without professional calibration and seasonal maintenance.

The company warns that this oversight is particularly costly as winter heating demand surges and businesses face ongoing pressure to reduce energy spend and improve ESG performance.

“Switching to heat-pump mode can immediately lower carbon output and reduce reliance on gas,” added Group Managing Director Simon Chapman. “It’s one of the simplest and fastest energy-efficiency wins available to UK businesses. In many cases, we can optimise a building’s system in a single visit and deliver meaningful savings from day one.”

Cool Services is urging businesses to undertake a winter HVAC optimisation check, ensuring their air-conditioning systems are fully configured for heating, properly zoned, and working in harmony with gas or hybrid systems where appropriate.

Get an Assessment

Businesses interested in reducing winter energy costs or assessing whether their current commercial AC system can provide efficient heating can speak with a Cool Services HVAC specialist at: https://coolservices.co.uk/

About Cool Services

Cool Services is a leading UK provider of commercial HVAC solutions, specialising in air-conditioning installation, maintenance and energy-efficient climate control for businesses across Shropshire, North Wales & the West Midlands. With more than four decades of air conditioning expertise, the company supports organisations in improving comfort, reducing energy costs and meeting ESG obligations.

Media Contact
Company Name: Cool Services
Contact Person: Elaine Liversidge
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Country: United Kingdom
Website: https://coolservices.co.uk/