Changing air conditioning 'can be a way to save'

Office design news from Morgan Lovell

Published on 02-06-2011

Businesses across the UK have been advised that turning up the temperature of air conditioning can be an excellent way to both save money and the environment.

Paul Edwards, chair of the British Council for Offices' Environmental Sustainability Group and head of sustainability at Hammerson, said many office interior spaces are run at much cooler temperatures than they need to be and this is not only a waste of energy, but it is a needless cost for the business.

By reducing the amount that air conditioning has to work to reduce the overall ambient temperature of office space, companies can make significant energy savings overall.

He commented: "People can operate at 24 degrees perfectly fine. Most offices are set at 20, 21 or 22 degrees. I know that doesn't sound a lot, but a two degree difference can greatly reduce your energy consumption."

According to research carried out by Lloyds TSB, 30 per cent of small businesses have grown as a direct result of becoming more environmentally sustainable.

Furthermore, the survey revealed that becoming greener helped 37 per cent of businesses to improve employee engagement and 33 per cent retain their current contracts and clients.

Posted by Ian Johnson