There are plenty of quite wonderful things about the Great British summer – sweating yourself half to death at work however is not one of them. Every time the fine weather rolls around once again, millions of workers across thousands of different environments find themselves slowly poaching in their own juices day in and day out, putting a rather severe crimp in morale and a dent in productivity. According to the experts at www.totalextraction.co.uk, the effect poor air quality and the general temperature there of can have on the efficiency and output of any given workforce is something that majority of businesses still don’t come close to understanding.
Which begs the important and obvious question – what can be done to help? Are there any realistic ways and means by which an office or workplace can be kept cool and comfortable in the summer, or is the annual sweat-fest just one of those things that cannot be avoided?
1 – Consider Extraction System Maintenance
Well, first of all it might be worth checking whether or not any extraction systems present are doing their jobs properly before taking any more drastic steps forward. If you were to leave your building’s extraction systems off for an hour or so, chances are you’d get a pretty strong (and uncomfortable) illustration of how big of a difference they make to interior temperatures. But while it’s one thing to make sure they’re switched on, this isn’t going to do you any good if they’re only running to 75% or even 50% of their maximum capacity. Call in the inspectors, have them give the systems a once-over and if there’s room for improvement, it’s a call you’ll be glad you made.
2 – Check Ventilation Is Doing its Job
The same also goes for ventilation systems as it’s inevitable that over time, any and all air ventilation installations will need a little TLC. They’re the kinds of essentials that tend to go overlooked for months, years and decades on end, only ever being given any real attention when they become quite dangerously problematic. A much better way of approaching the subject however is to follow the same example as laid out above – call in the pros from time to time and have them carry out a full check to see if things are working as they should. And if they aren’t, you probably have your answer as to how to keep the office cool.
3 – Shut Down and Unplug Machinery/Devices
One of the biggest generators of heat in any and every workplace across the country is its respective contingency of machinery and electronic equipment. It’s so easy to overlook just how much heat comes off something as small as a printer or a laptop computer charger. However, when you feel the kind of heat coming off a smaller device and then multiply this by how many of the things there may be around the building, you’re actually looking at a pretty spectacular source of heat that could easily be brought down with a little proactive attention. It’s one thing to shut down machinery and electronics, but it’s another entirely to power them down completely and unplug them when not in use. You might just find the difference is quite incredible.
4 – Limit Lighting
Another of the most powerful heat sources in the modern workplace are the light bulbs used to keep the place as bright as it needs to be. This is especially so for busy factory floors and industrial environments where large and extremely powerful bulbs may be necessary to illuminate larger working areas. The larger the bulbs, the more bulbs in use and the lower the efficiency thereof, the more heat they’re going to kick out every second they’re in use. As such, for the sake of keeping cool it’s a good idea to not only make sure any and all lights that are not in use are kept switched off, but also that anywhere ultra-efficient LED bulbs could be brought in, the relevant swaps are made.
5 – Secure Windows and Vents
Last but not least, never forget that the more you can make use of the cool night air that’s on offer 100% free of charge, the better. It’s neither practical nor possible for most businesses to shift their operations to overnight hours, but at the same time there’s always room for making use of the cool air the evening brings. Consider investing in a series of secure windows or vents which can be left open throughout the night to help cool the building, without compromising safety and security.
