What is the best way to heat or cool an office?
Air Conditioning is regularly and commonly used in office environments as a method for cooling and heating the space. Air conditioning is a relatively efficient way of heating or cooling a large space and has the advantage of providing a comfortable atmosphere all year round, all within one system.
Traditionally an office would have been heated with water-filled radiators, which is an efficient way to heat the space, but obviously requires a heating water circuit to be installed throughout the building and of course does not provide any form of cooling in the summer. An air conditioning system provides heating and cooling all within the same system, which can be used all year round.
What are the disadvantages of Air Conditioning in an Office?
One of the main disadvantages of air conditioning in an office environment is that it does not actually draw in any fresh air, the system just simply cools or heats re-circulated air. This can lead to spaces feeling stuffy and lacking in fresh air. The remedy to this is to introduce some form of ventilation, to compliment the air conditioning system and ensure that air quality levels are maximised.
Should you expect Air Conditioning to be installed in a serviced office?
Serviced offices have become very popular in recent years, with the move away from traditional fixed office locations and the move towards agile working. With the growing choice of locations and options in the flexible office market, tenants have become increasingly aware of the features that they want to achieve in their office space, one of which includes air conditioning.
As a property owner, you can make your office space much more saleable by installing air conditioning in your space, appealing to a much wider range of potential tenants and also being able to justify a higher rental cost. If you already have air conditioning installed, it is well within your interest to ensure that it is well-maintained. Not only will this ensure that the system is working effectively, but also that you minimise any unwanted or unexpected breakdown costs for failing air conditioning equipment.
Serviced office buildings tend to be larger spaces and often in city-centre locations, so they are often sealed buildings with no opening windows. In these instances, the building will have a mechanical ventilation system to draw in fresh air and extract the stale air – in most cases, these mechanical ventilation systems will be linked to cooling and heating coils to provide climate control as well as fresh air management.
Do you have to install ventilation in offices?
The subject of ventilation in office environments has always been important but has really been prioritised as a result of the recent pandemic. Building owners and business owners are obliged to ensure that the ventilation supply to an office space is adequate, whether this is natural ventilation or mechanical ventilation.
There are various regulations that state the acceptable level of ventilation in an enclosed space, which include building regulations. For example, any sealed building (with non-opening windows) must install a mechanical ventilation system that supplies adequate fresh air supply and stale air extraction, in order to maintain a suitable level of air quality.
If you are unsure about your obligations as a business owner, or indeed what you should expect as a worker within any internal environment, reach out to Salix Mechanical Ltd for impartial advice.
Do office HVAC Systems need maintenance?
One of the most important things about air conditioning and ventilation systems within offices is that they are maintained properly. This involves a planned, preventive maintenance programme (PPM) with scheduled service visits.
Not only will regular maintenance ensure that systems are kept clean and operating efficiently, but also will ensure that you are not landed with any nasty surprises by way of unexpected system breakdown or failure.
Ventilation systems installed within office environments will have filters that need cleaning and/or replacing on a regular basis, in order to maintain suitable air quality.
Salix Mechanical Ltd has been working in office environments for over 30 years and has therefore built up a huge amount of experience and authority in working on office HVAC systems. Speak to us today to discuss your HVAC challenges and we will be more than happy to help.
