SCIOS scope 14 and refrigeration: a common misconception put right

Correction: an earlier version of this article incorrectly described "SCIOS scope 14" as a certification for maintenance and inspection of refrigeration installations. That is not correct. We have rewritten this article to set the record straight — both for the facts about SCIOS scope 14 itself, and for what refrigeration companies actually need.

What SCIOS scope 14 actually is

SCIOS stands for Stichting Certificering Inspectie en Onderhoud Stook-installaties. The foundation manages scopes for the inspection and maintenance of technical installations in the built environment — primarily heating installations (heating), plus a limited number of scopes for electrical equipment and explosion-safe installations.

According to scios.nl (opent in nieuw tabblad), scope 14 specifically covers: "heating systems and associated ventilation systems" — the periodic inspection (usually once every 4 years) of heating installations with a nominal power from 70 kW in buildings, required under EPBD regulations. So that's central heating boilers, heat pumps that serve as the heating source in a building-related system, and similar heating installations — not refrigeration installations.

There is no SCIOS scope for refrigeration installations or refrigerant transport. SCIOS has no scope that specifically targets refrigeration technology, commercial refrigeration or refrigerant transport installations.

Where does the confusion come from?

Probably from a combination of factors: SCIOS is broadly known as "the" quality mark for technical installations in the built environment, heat pumps are technically close to refrigeration installations (both work with a refrigerant circuit), and scope numbers mean little to outsiders without looking up the official scope description. That makes it an understandable, but real mistake — and exactly the reason to set it right explicitly here.

So what is actually relevant for refrigeration companies?

For companies that install and maintain refrigeration installations, air conditioning installations or heat pumps, these are the certifications that actually matter:

• [BRL 100](/kennisbank/wat-is-brl-100) — the process certificate for installation and maintenance companies of refrigeration installations, air conditioning installations and heat pumps. This *is* also the legally required F-gas company certificate for anyone working with F-gases.
• [STEK](/kennisbank/stek-overzicht-bedrijfscertificaat) — the participant platform focused on F-gas emissions and refrigerant administration.
• [BRL 200](/kennisbank/brl-200-f-gassen-persoonscertificaat) — the personal certificate that individual technicians need in order to work on F-gas installations.

If you also work on building-related heating installations ≥70 kW (for example if your company is broader than refrigeration alone), then SCIOS scope 14 can indeed be relevant for that — but then it concerns the heating installations in your portfolio, not the refrigeration installations.

How Koldwerk fits into this

Koldwerk is built for the certifications that actually apply to refrigeration: the refrigerant module keeps your F-gas balance adding up for STEK and BRL 100, the audit trail and digital work orders deliver what a BRL 100 auditor expects, and the technicians tab monitors your team's BRL 200 certificates.

Further reading

• What is BRL 100? — the process certification that actually applies to refrigeration companies
• STEK quality mark — overview — F-gas recognition and annual report
• BRL 200 personal certificate — your technicians' authorisation
• F-gas leak checks: how often are they mandatory? — threshold values and worked examples
• Refrigerant balance: a practical guide — administration that adds up for the audit

Disclaimer: this article has been corrected based on the official scope descriptions on scios.nl (opent in nieuw tabblad). Consult SCIOS or your certifying body for the most current scope classification.