By Mike England, UK HVAC Rental Manager at Daikin Rental Solutions
Forecasts suggest temperatures could climb as high as 22°C across parts of the UK between 9 and 11 September, particularly in the south and south-east of England, before conditions return closer to the seasonal average, according to the Met Office. This comes after a summer of amber and yellow heat warnings, with humidity also having climbed worryingly high at times.
Previously only a concern for significantly hotter countries, the UK has now started to experience our own wildfires, brought about by the soaring temperatures and forcing some communities to evacuate from their homes.
With elevated temperatures remaining a threat even as we head into autumn, it’s clear something has to change. Head of the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) Centre for Climate Health and Security (CCHS), Professor Lea Berrang Ford, has called for immediate change, explaining: “It is vital that action of adapting Britain’s homes, workplaces and critical infrastructure to extreme heat outpaces these health risks.”
So, with many of our buildings – including the majority of office blocks and workspaces – unsuitable for these rising temperatures, how can Facilities Managers (FMs), employers and more ensure the health and wellbeing of colleagues and visitors? Take a look at our top 10 prep tips.
1. Know the rules
In the UK, there’s currently no maximum temperature limit for workplaces. Although the government advises indoor workspaces must be kept at a ‘reasonable’ temperature, the only actual guidance centres around the minimum temperature.
As an employer, you are required to keep your workplace at a ‘comfortable’ temperature. Of course, this level will vary from person-to-person, so it’s a good idea to check in regularly with all staff members to ensure the space is cool enough during temperature spikes. A quarterly questionnaire or in-person chat is a good way to maintain this.
2. Increase ventilation
According to health and safety at work laws, employers must also ensure that all staff have access to ‘clean and fresh air’. Therefore, it’s vital that the ventilation system in your building is up to code, reliable and efficient, even during seasonal changes.
It’s a good idea to book your current HVAC system in for a regular health check – especially if you have had it for a number of years and there is a lack of windows or other natural ventilation in your space.
3. Forward planning
If your current HVAC system hasn’t been serviced since last year, it’s vital you take a closer look at its efficiency. This kind of proactive planning can help avert breakdown disasters, keeping everything up and running when staff members need it the most.
A full service can also help you identify more minor problems quickly and bring both interim and permanent solutions into play – such as installing a backup HVAC system that can be used to supplement higher demand during more frequent heatwaves.
For organisations operating critical facilities, it’s also worth having a temporary cooling contingency plan in place, so additional cooling capacity can be deployed quickly should existing equipment fail, or demand exceed system capacity.
4. Consider your windows
Plenty of large, south-facing windows in your office building or other indoor workspace? You need a set of blinds, stat. South-facing windows heat up the fastest – and during a heatwave, this can make working in the full glare of the sun nothing short of a nightmare.
Ensure all staff remain as cool as possible by installing a simple blind system that can be lowered at the opportune time. This solution will also help reduce glare when using screens in direct sunlight and help protect against eye strain.
5. Look for quick fixes
It may sound obvious, but reviewing the layout of your office space can drastically reduce overheating. Move staff members away from heat-producing machines, such as printers or servers, and restructure layouts to ensure nobody is sitting in the full glare of the sun.
Investing in office furniture with wheels, or pieces that can be easily broken down and moved elsewhere, allows for easy reconfiguration based on the weather on any particular day.
6. Encourage rest
Many countries have siestas when it gets extremely warm – consider introducing a similar policy in your UK office, where possible. Providing a cool, shaded area or room where staff members can take an extra 10-15 minutes away from their computer or work station is a great idea.
Not only will this help employees feel cooler and less stressed, it can actually boost productivity. Normalise extra breaks during particularly hot spells.
7. Review water access
If your employees generally access water via a tap, consider installing a water cooler or mini-fridge, so they can enjoy ice-cold water during particularly hot spells. Many taps in the UK, especially in older buildings, don’t produce cold enough water during the summer.
You could also check in with staff members about their daily water intake and find out if any other types of hydration would be well received, such as juice, complimentary fruit or bottled water.
8. Be smart about fans
A common sight in office buildings up and down the country as soon as the temperature begins to rise, electric fans can help a space feel a little cooler. They can also assist with ventilation – but only up to a certain point.
Once the temperature in a building hits very high temperatures (around 35°C or above), all your electric fan will do is push hot air around the space – actually worsening dehydration. Fans are a great additional heat reliever alongside air conditioning, but they aren’t much use once the heat begins to really climb.
9. Check your insulation
Ignoring ageing, insufficient or badly installed insulation in a building’s roof or loft space can significantly increase the level of heat present within the work space. Bad insulation can actually trap and gather heat, radiating it down into the occupied areas.
It may be worth having this assessed as part of a wider building energy review. Combined with effective ventilation and cooling, good insulation can help improve occupant comfort during prolonged hot weather.
10. Think about exterior changes
It’s all well and good installing blinds and shading inside your building – but adding exterior shades is the change that can really make all the difference. Although this may require further investment, your building occupants will thank you for it!
Providing exterior shade for your building – such as awnings over windows – can help block heat before it actually reaches the windows, thereby making the interior much cooler.
It’s vital to ensure your building is prepared for rising UK temperatures – even as we move into autumn. Which of these top prep tips will you begin with?
