Dubai · AC guide
Two apartments in the same area can be cooled in completely different ways - and that changes your bills, what can go wrong, and who fixes it. Here is how to tell which you have.
StringsSG · Updated
How district cooling works
A central plant chills water and pumps it through insulated pipes to buildings across a district. In your apartment, a fan coil unit (FCU) above the false ceiling blows room air across a coil carrying that chilled water. A valve, controlled by your thermostat, opens and closes to adjust the cooling. There is no compressor and no refrigerant gas in your apartment.
How a split system works
Your apartment has its own refrigerant circuit: an indoor unit (wall-mounted or concealed ducted) and an outdoor condenser with a compressor. Electricity for the compressor goes on your DEWA bill, which is why summer bills rise so sharply.
Side by side
| District cooling | Split AC | |
|---|---|---|
| Bills | Separate cooling bill: capacity charge + consumption | Included in DEWA electricity |
| Gas refills | Never - no refrigerant | Only if there is a leak |
| Noise | Very quiet, no outdoor unit | Outdoor unit noise on balcony/roof |
| Common faults | Dirty coil, stuck valve, thermostat | Dirty coil, low gas, capacitor, compressor |
| What you service | Filter, coil, blower, drain of your FCU | Indoor unit plus outdoor unit |
Understanding chiller fees
District cooling bills usually have two parts: a fixed capacity (or demand) charge based on your apartment's allocated cooling load, and a variable consumption charge for the cooling you actually use, measured in ton-hours by a meter. The capacity charge is payable whether or not you run the AC.
In "chiller-free" buildings the landlord pays the cooling bill and the rent reflects it. If you are comparing apartments, ask which applies - it can make a large difference to your monthly costs.
What a dirty fan coil costs you
Even with district cooling, a dust-caked coil and filter mean the FCU has to run longer to cool the room, which raises the consumption part of your bill and leaves rooms warm. Cleaning the FCU - filter, coil, blower and drain - is your side of the system to look after.
Fan coil or split, keep the coil clean
Coil cleaning restores airflow and cuts running time on both systems.
