Daikin UK to host retail and leisure HVAC summit at Barbican
UK – Daikin UK will bring together estates, facilities, procurement and property professionals at its first Retail & Leisure Summit at the Barbican in London on 22 October, with cooling demand, energy costs and the risks associated with ageing HVAC equipment among the main themes.
The event follows the UK’s hottest summer on record. Met Office figures put the UK mean temperature for summer 2026 at 16.5°C, 0.4°C above the previous record set in 2025. The season also recorded 33 days above 30°C, underlining the growing importance of cooling and building resilience for retail and leisure operators.
Cooling moves up the agenda
Daikin said the summit will examine how retail and leisure businesses can maintain comfortable conditions for customers while controlling energy costs and strengthening energy security and supply chain resilience.
Sustained periods of high temperatures can increase cooling demand across shops, leisure facilities and other commercial buildings. Daikin will also use the event to highlight the operational risks associated with ageing HVAC equipment, including parts availability, equipment lead times and the potential consequences of unplanned failures.
Martin Passingham, Commercial Business Manager at Daikin UK, said rising temperatures were becoming a commercial consideration for the sector, with uncomfortable conditions potentially affecting both customer experience and sales.
Ageing systems struggle to keep up, and replacement parts are getting harder to find.
Martin Passingham, Commercial Business Manager, Daikin UK
Controls, costs and decarbonisation
The summit programme will cover the relationship between comfort and revenue during hotter summers, alongside the use of advanced HVAC controls and energy optimisation to reduce operating costs.
Delegates will also hear about the potential cost of delaying replacement of ageing equipment, including supply chain risks and the availability of replacement parts.
Decarbonisation will form another part of the programme, with sessions examining approaches to reducing fossil fuel consumption and Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions while maintaining the pace of building operations and investment.
Case studies from across the industry will be used to demonstrate practical approaches and completed projects.
Industry audience
The event is aimed at estates, facilities and procurement professionals, developers and other industry specialists. Daikin said speakers will share practical experience and case studies, with networking opportunities during the event.
A keynote speaker is due to be announced separately.
The Daikin UK Retail & Leisure Summit will take place at the Barbican, London, from 11.30am to 5pm on Thursday 22 October 2026. Lunch and refreshments will be provided.
