5 Useful Tips for Office Managers That Affect Every Employee
Budapest, July 31, 2024 – Heatwaves are occurring one after another across the country. There are increasingly more weeks when temperatures do not drop below 25°C even at night. Protection against heat is not only important at home but is also a key issue in the workplace. In this article, we have collected the most important aspects office managers need to consider in order to find the right balance between employee comfort and cost-effective building operation.
How can we ensure an appropriate office temperature during summer heatwaves? What factors should be considered when cooling office spaces? Office managers face a dual objective: maintaining employees’ concentration and motivation by providing a cool working environment, while also ensuring economical operation. Therefore, it matters greatly how and to what temperature offices are cooled.
- The ideal temperature at workstations and in meeting rooms is between 22–24°C. However, an important rule is that, if possible, the difference between indoor and outdoor temperatures should not exceed 6–8°C, as larger differences can put significant strain on the human body. Ensuring proper temperature regulation is the responsibility of the facility operator, and it is not only a matter of comfort but also of cost efficiency. The lower the set temperature, the higher the environmental impact of cooling and the more expensive it is to maintain.
- When it comes to cooling, one of the most important factors is the maintenance and cleaning of air-conditioning systems. Clean air-conditioning units operate much more efficiently and therefore consume less energy. Due to excessive use, pathogens can often accumulate on filters, which may lead to colds or flu-like symptoms. Keeping equipment and filters clean and regularly disinfected is also the responsibility of facility management and helps prevent the spread of office-related illnesses. Significant savings can also be achieved by centralizing the use of air conditioning.
“In modern office buildings, by combining building management systems with the necessary peripherals, it is possible to pre-program cooling so that offices are cooled to the appropriate temperature and only those spaces are cooled that are actually in use. This increases user comfort while significantly reducing energy consumption and cooling costs. The facility operator’s task is to set the appropriate time schedules and control signals not only for comfort cooling but also for ventilation systems,”
–said Róbert Flück, Operations Director at ICON Real Estate Management.
3. The third important factor is the proper use of doors and windows. External shading of sun-exposed windows can significantly reduce heat generation inside the building. The use of revolving doors or double-door systems helps maintain temperature differences more effectively. In many offices, cooling is provided by ceiling-mounted chilled beams that circulate cold water. When someone opens a window, additional humidity enters the office with the incoming air. This air contains warmer water vapor than the chilled beam system, which first reduces the efficiency of the beams, slowing down cooling. The resulting excess condensation may start dripping, and in the next phase, the humidity sensor on the beam may shut down the system entirely. Overall, keeping windows open during extreme heat is a waste of energy. To increase air movement and achieve a cooler perceived temperature, the use of local fans can be a good solution.
4. Special attention should be paid to ensuring that employees consume an adequate amount of water, and that sufficient chilled drinking water is available. During periods of extreme heat, it is advisable to send a reminder to colleagues highlighting the benefits of proper hydration and the importance of fluid intake. It is also essential to ensure that increased water consumption does not result in more waste, and employees should be made aware of this as well.
5. Finally, when regulating cooling systems, it should not be forgotten that cooling involves not only energy consumption but also noise pollution, which can affect nearby residential buildings. For this reason, air-conditioning systems typically operate in tempering mode only during weekends and at night, thereby reducing noise emissions. It is worth informing employees of this as well, so they are not surprised if their workstations are not as cool on weekends as they are on weekdays.
These considerations clearly show how difficult it is to find the right balance during heatwaves like the current ones—between ensuring employee comfort and minimizing a building’s energy consumption and environmental impact. A responsible property operator carefully weighs all of these factors and, in cooperation with the property manager, makes the necessary adjustments while taking tenant needs and usage patterns into account.
Encouraging employees to return to the office and supporting their well-being also depend on providing a pleasant and attractive working environment. Where property management and facility operation are handled by a single provider—as ICON is able to offer—these goals can be achieved more smoothly. From an ESG perspective, it is also crucial that office cooling is carried out with minimal energy use while maximizing employee well-being.
