With winter rolling into Brisbane and South East Queensland, now is the time to find the optimal office temperature to keep everyone comfortable in the workplace. Whether you manage an office building, a factory, or shops, it is important to find the ideal temperature to ensure the health and wellbeing of all occupants.
At Air-rite Solutions, we provide a range of commercial air conditioning services to businesses in Brisbane and South East Queensland. With winter well and truly here, make sure you are setting your HVAC systems to best cope with the cooling temperatures during this time of year.
Understanding the Ideal Office Temperature
The optimal office temperature in Australia is outlined by the Australian Standard AS1668.2: The Use of Ventilation and Air Conditioning in Buildings. While indoor commercial spaces can have their commercial air conditioning system set anywhere between 20-26°C, it is generally recommended to have temperatures set at 22°C.
This temperature is ideal for general comfort across employees, guests, and customers. It’s a temperature that encourages peak cognitive performance from workers, helping to increase productivity as well as critical discussion within the workplace. 22°C is also an ideal temperature for keeping occupants warm enough during the cooler winter months.
Workers in factories may prefer slightly lower temperatures in their indoor space, as physical labour naturally increases body heat. For this reason, some factories may prefer to have their HVAC system set at 20°C, even in the winter.
Factors Influencing Office Temperature in Winter
When setting your commercial air conditioning in Brisbane during winter, it’s important you understand all the different factors that can influence indoor temperature. While the temperature outside is obviously the most pressing element, there is more to consider when preparing your HVAC system in winter. These include:
- As people will likely be dressed in warmer clothing, you can factor in an extra couple of degrees of temperature on top of what you set your HVAC system at. For example, if you set your system at 22°C, it will feel more like 24°C for someone wearing a jumper.
- You also don’t want to make your HVAC system too warm. Bouncing between cold and hot environments can make it difficult for the body to adjust, so your system shouldn’t be set to a temperature that is drastically warmer than outside.
- Most commercial air conditioning systems will take at least some time before they warm up an entire area. This is especially true in large, open spaces like factories or shopping centres. For this reason, the system should be started well in advance of workers or customers arriving at the location.
By taking these factors into consideration, you will be able to properly set your commercial HVAC system for the winter season.
Energy Efficiency Considerations
Keeping your commercial space warm during winter requires a big energy output for your HVAC system. As long as you keep up your commercial air conditioning maintenance obligations, your system should be well positioned to provide ongoing thermal comfort while remaining as energy efficient as possible.
Booking in regular maintenance inspections with a professional HVAC technician will help your system continue running at peak performance throughout winter. We recommend you book an inspection at the beginning and end of the season.
Contact Air-rite Solutions
If you want to find out more about getting your HVAC system ready for winter, or have any other questions about commercial air conditioning, contact the Brisbane and South East Queensland experts today.
