Feature
Having adequate temperature control, coupled with lots of energy efficient fresh air is going to be crucial in help people come back into the office.
The importance of indoor air quality
The effects of poor air quality are well known in the outdoor environment, but less known is the impact of indoor air quality.
With workers planning on coming back into offices in the months ahead and concerns around coronavirus airborne transmission, or future virus strains, indoor air quality is now more essential than ever, and this is where fresh air has such an important role to play.
A study4 in 2019 found that poor air quality can
interfere with productivity, so it’s important to have a steady supply of clean air circulating through a building to ensure optimal productivity.
For those buildings that do not have access to open windows or ventilation systems, units like modular mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR) or air handling units (AHU) are ideal for this task as they remove the stale air while simultaneously delivering a fresh air supply to a building.
For some buildings, there will be a drive to increase the rate at which fresh air is introduced into the office – which is also what future Building Standards are suggesting. This in turn adds additional strain to the system by needing it to work at higher levels.
Being mindful of the operating capacity and the time running at these levels, increased service and maintenance schedules will be required to ensure a reliable and effective system.
Remote Working
Using a control system, facilities managers are provided with cost effective ways of managing, monitoring and reporting on the performance of all building services systems.
It’s unlikely that HVAC equipment has been running at full power while the building has been empty, as that not only reduces overall energy efficiency targets but also increases costs when building operators should be looking to save wherever possible.
Plus, unnecessary operation also reduces the lifetime of fans and other moving parts, adding to maintenance and repair costs.
Ideally HVAC systems will therefore have been kept in lower power modes where they continue to run, but without the usual demands placed on them from full office spaces.
Air conditioning systems need to be able to respond to different building requirements. These include rise and falls in occupant levels and heat loads from equipment such as lighting and computers.
If this technology has been switched off for months, rather than in low power mode, FMs will need to check over the system before restarting it and ensure accurate controls are available to balance the heating and cooling loads as needed.
Be Prepared
Undeniably, building services such as ventilation, cooling, heating and water systems will play a central role in the health and safety – and ultimately comfort – of those that work there.
While there’s certainly no full proof guide to get through the current situation, there are a
series of steps that facilities
managers can take in order to prepare their buildings for increased occupation again.
Facilities managers and building services maintenance teams are on the frontline of this ever evolving situation and will continue to play a pivotal role in the ongoing service and maintenance of HVAC equipment to deliver a safe and healthy workspace.
2
:
https://cpdonline.co.uk/knowledge-base/health-and-safety/workers-dont-want-back-work-vaccinated/ 3
1:
https://www.finder.com/uk/working-from-home-statistics :
https://leadchangegroup.com/office-temperature-and-productivity/
4:
https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20190724-why-indoor-air-quality-matters-to-our-bodies-and-our-brains
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