AIR CONDITIONING
The UK is in the midst of one of the hottest summers on record. While we’re enjoying soaking up the sun in parks, beer gardens and at the seaside, at the same time those of us working inside offices without proper temperature control are
Hot under the collar
struggling to get comfortable. With temperature having an evidenced impact on productivity, it is in every employer’s best interest to make sure they have appropriate air conditioning in place. Chris Jones, product manager at FläktGroup, explains the solutions for facilities managers.
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triking a balance in office temperature to keep all employees satisfied is one of the most notoriously difficult tasks of facilities managers. Research shows that 80% of office workers complain about the temperature of their workplace and this dissatisfaction is having a big impact on productivity.
A 2014 survey found that 29% of workers spend between 10 and 30 minutes each day not working due to an uncomfortable office temperature, while 6% spend more than half an hour each day not working for this reason. Overall, around 2% of office hours are wasted due to temperature alone which could cost the UK economy more than £13bn annually.
Temperature can also have an effect on the health of office workers. Employees who work in an environment with sustained hot temperatures can suffer from heat stress, while those working in cold or fluctuating temperatures are more susceptible to illness. Absenteeism costs UK businesses an estimated £36bn each year, so temperature is a key issue that facilities managers need to address.
But what is a comfortable office temperature? Research suggests that the ideal temperature for maximum worker productivity falls between 21-23°C. While the legal minimum temperature to work in is 16°C, at the moment there is no legal maximum temperature for workers. However, there is a legal requirement for employers to assess the situation if more than 10% of employees register a complaint about the heat.
Many buildings in the UK are built with cold temperatures in mind, as this is our most natural climate, but the erratic summer heatwaves can have a huge effect in offices, particularly for those on higher floors.
That’s where an appropriately specified ventilation system comes into play. When choosing the right system, it is important to assess the size of the area, occupancy levels, cooling requirements and humidity levels. Open plan offices have highly fluctuating occupancy levels and are seldom at full capacity. Ventilation has to be
26 September 2018
managed to minimise cost and optimise efficiency. Energy efficiency has become a significant factor to consider when choosing a new a system. In fact, figures from the Carbon Trust indicate that the energy consumed by air conditioning systems in commercial buildings is expected to double from current levels by 2020. Furthermore, the Trust estimates that air conditioning alone consumes over 30% of a typical office’s electricity annually.
Chilled beams delivering air conditioning, ventilation and high indoor air quality and are a great solution for office spaces, offering enhanced flexibility and energy efficiency savings.
They circulate air using the principles of natural heat convection, and their major advantage over more common forced-air systems is that they circulate air without the noise and expense of ductwork and air handlers. Typically mounted overhead, the beam is chilled by an external source such as recirculated water and cools the space below by acting as a heat sink for the naturally rising warm air of the space.
The benefits of chilled beams in terms of efficiency are undeniable, with around 75% of cooling handled by higher capacity water, rather than by having the full load handled by air. In fact, chilled beams offer savings of up to 40% over traditional air conditioning systems.
One misconception that still exists about chilled beam units is about their flexibility. Traditionally they consisted of a 3m rectangular beam that was largely immovable, which is not particularly helpful if the floorplan was likely to change. Today’s chilled beams are considerably more adaptable however, with many systems able to deliver energy efficient cooling, heating and ventilation in a flexible format. With these systems, floor layouts can be changed without the need for moving or installing new beams. They can be easily moved by disconnecting, reconnecting and resetting the values. The design also includes variable geometry nozzles, which offer an optimum choice of airflow settings. Nozzle change can be actuated to adjust ventilation flow
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