What should you consider before installing office air conditioning?
Key considerations before installing new office air conditioning
Installing air conditioning in offices will never fail to deliver a return on investment. Air conditioning can transform office spaces in terms of design and user comfort, but it can also help to increase productivity and protect the well-being of the people who use the space.
There is a wide range of commercial heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems (HVAC) that are designed for different needs. And every building is different too which is why it’s so important to carefully design office air conditioning systems for each commercial space.
Office air conditioning will deliver energy-efficient cooling and heating, and a ventilation system will deliver heated or cooled fresh air.
Modern office air conditioning systems are highly energy-efficient, but the efficiency can be further enhanced with more advanced systems that offer features such as sensor technology for zoned spaces – they turn off automatically if no movement is detected after a set period, and temperatures can be set in specific areas in the office.
HVAC design considerations for commercial offices
Whether there is a single office, an entire floor of a building, or multiple floors with offices, one of the primary considerations is how each part of the office space is used:
How many occupants will use each area?
Is it an open-plan office?
Are there various-sized offices and corridors?
Is there a kitchen and bathroom facilities?
Are there meeting rooms?
Is there a canteen?
Is there a computer or cold storage room?
All of the room sizes help HVAC installers calculate the size of the system required to adequately heat or cool the space.
Building considerations for installing air conditioning in offices
For larger offices and those on multiple floors, air conditioning engineers will survey the building to understand:
Are there any planning, building or noise restrictions?
Is there any useable ductwork in place?
Is there enough space above the ceilings for ductwork?
Does the building have any other independent HVAC systems installed?
Accessibility for delivery and installation as well as maintenance
Window sizes and whether or not they open to provide ventilation
Building insulation
Ventilation systems for offices
Air conditioning systems are designed to deliver clean, filtered cooled or heated air, and most modern systems today will automatically remove dust, allergens and even bacteria and viruses.
Ventilation systems are designed to extract stale indoor and circulate fresh air from the outside which is filtered and heated as required. These are often known as heat recovery systems because they use the heat from extracted air to maximise energy efficiency.
Maximising the performance and efficiency of office air conditioning
Any new air conditioning or ventilation system will come with a long-term warranty that covers parts and labour. However, to stay valid most warranties state that ongoing maintenance is to be carried out to ensure that the system is working optimally.
A preventative maintenance plan ensures that all mechanical parts are regularly checked and that refrigerant levels are monitored and recorded.
AB-Zero Air Conditioning installs HVAC systems in offices across London, Essex, Kent, Sussex, Hertfordshire and beyond.
Our engineers can carry out surveys and will provide you with a comprehensive quotation for an innovative office air conditioning system that will deliver long-term benefits.
Please get in touch if you have any questions or if you would like to book a FREE survey.
