All About Air Conditioners for Offices
Keeping your staff cool in the summer and warm in the winter is the ideal way to keep a team motivated and also impress visitors. There is nothing worse than walking into a hot and sweaty office!
There are a number of factors that need to be taken into consideration when installing air conditioners in an office. It’s vital to design a solution that ensures that an even air flow is achieved in every room. Less experienced installers often do not fully consider the shape and layout of the office to be cooled, resulting in some parts of the workspace receiving a much heavier air flow than others. It is not uncommon to find that half an office is too cold while the other half is too hot with a poorly designed system, this can cause many ‘office temperature disagreements’ (OTDs).
Our expert surveyors know that all offices are different, and we always ensure that we design and install the system to suit your exact requirements, guaranteeing that all workers and visitors feel comfortable.
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SINGLE SPLIT?
Single-Split Air Conditioner
Single-split air conditioners have one internal cooling unit and one external condenser box. These are the most basic and common systems installed. They are ideal for cooling one single room and are usually the most cost-effective option.
They are also used in situations where you need to have multiple air conditioners controlled individually (e.g. heating an office in winter whilst still requiring cooling in a server room).
The more single-splits you install the more external condensers you require. If external space is at a premium then please see the other options in this menu.
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MULTI SPLIT?
Multi-Split Air Conditioners
A Multi-Split System uses multiple indoor cooling units (the amount is dependent on power requirements and the chosen brand) and one outdoor condenser box.
The advantage of Multi-Splits is that the internal cooling units can be individually controlled. If you are using it to cool multiple offices, this means that one unit can be off while the others are on, and each individual person can set it to their required temperature.
Please note that the internal cooling units must all be on the same mode, therefore, it is not possible to cool one room and heat another (please look at single-splits).
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TWIN/TRIPLE SPLIT?
Twin, Triple and Quad-Split Air Conditioners
These systems are ideal for larger open-plan offices. Whilst they can have two, three or four internal cooling units they only have one external condenser box. This means that less space is taken up on the building exterior.
They are typically used for cooling one large single area and operate from the same control panel. It is therefore not possible to control the internal units individually. These units are not suitable for cooling multiple rooms where different temperatures are required.
When selecting these units for an open plan office it’s important to consider whether you are likely to partition the room in the future. If partitioning is likely or you are looking for individual cooling control then you should consider a Single-Split or a Multi-Split System.
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NO OUTSIDE BOX?
Water-Cooled Air Conditioners
Many office buildings in the UK and especially in London do not have planning permission to place condenser boxes on their exterior walls or roofs. In these cases, Water-Cooled Air Conditioners are the ideal solution as the entire system is located within the property.
Rather than releasing the heat to the outside world like traditional air conditioners (via a condenser box), Water-Cooled Air Conditioners have an internal unit connected to the mains water. Cold water is pumped through the system keeping it cool allowing the internal air conditioners to run efficiently.
Ideal Systems for Offices: Wall-Mounted Air Conditioners
Wall-mounted air conditioners are the most common air conditioning units used in offices. They are the most cost-effective option and easy to retrofit into offices without the need for redecoration. Wall-mounted units are long, thin, and placed at a high level on the wall.
A single unit would be ideal for cooling a 1-6 person office and for larger office spaces you would require multiple wall units strategically placed so the entire room enjoys the full benefit of the air flow. Well-selected air conditioners are almost silent allowing staff to work in both peace and comfort.
Where appearance is important, there are a number of premium wall-mounted units from different manufacturers that look aesthetically pleasing. Check out the premium Gree Moda, Daikin Emura and the Mitsubishi Zen units by clicking the ‘Learn More’ button below.
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SINGLE SPLIT?
Single-Split Air Conditioner
Single-split air conditioners have one internal cooling unit and one external condenser box. These are the most basic and common systems installed. They are ideal for cooling one single room and are usually the most cost-effective option.
They are also used in situations where you need to have multiple air conditioners controlled individually (e.g. heating an office in winter whilst still requiring cooling in a server room).
The more single-splits you install the more external condensers you require. If external space is at a premium then please see the other options in this menu.
-
MULTI SPLIT?
Multi-Split Air Conditioners
A Multi-Split System uses multiple indoor cooling units (the amount is dependent on power requirements and the chosen brand) and one outdoor condenser box.
The advantage of Multi-Splits is that the internal cooling units can be individually controlled. If you are using it to cool multiple offices, this means that one unit can be off while the others are on, and each individual person can set it to their required temperature.
Please note that the internal cooling units must all be on the same mode, therefore, it is not possible to cool one room and heat another (please look at single-splits).
-
TWIN/TRIPLE SPLIT?
Twin, Triple and Quad-Split Air Conditioners
These systems are ideal for larger open-plan offices. Whilst they can have two, three or four internal cooling units they only have one external condenser box. This means that less space is taken up on the building exterior.
They are typically used for cooling one large single area and operate from the same control panel. It is therefore not possible to control the internal units individually. These units are not suitable for cooling multiple rooms where different temperatures are required.
When selecting these units for an open plan office it’s important to consider whether you are likely to partition the room in the future. If partitioning is likely or you are looking for individual cooling control then you should consider a Single-Split or a Multi-Split System.
-
NO OUTSIDE BOX?
Water-Cooled Air Conditioners
Many office buildings in the UK and especially in London do not have planning permission to place condenser boxes on their exterior walls or roofs. In these cases, Water-Cooled Air Conditioners are the ideal solution as the entire system is located within the property.
Rather than releasing the heat to the outside world like traditional air conditioners (via a condenser box), Water-Cooled Air Conditioners have an internal unit connected to the mains water. Cold water is pumped through the system keeping it cool allowing the internal air conditioners to run efficiently.
Ceiling-Mounted 'Cassette' Units for Offices
Ceiling-mounted ‘cassette’ units are very popular in modern offices. Although they are slightly more expensive than wall units, ceiling ‘cassettes’ are almost entirely hidden within a suspended ceiling and are therefore more discreet and aesthetically pleasing; all that is visible is an almost-flush facia panel.
They also have the advantage of providing four-way airflow so they are ideal for large offices where multiple areas must receive balanced cooling. Some ceiling ‘cassette’ aircon units also have individually controlled louvers so that you direct the air around the office as required.
If you don’t have ‘false ceiling’ then you are better off using a wall-mounted system.
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SINGLE ROOM?
Single-Split Air Conditioner
Single-split air conditioners have one internal cooling unit and one external condenser box. These are the most basic and common systems installed. They are ideal for cooling one single room and are usually the most cost-effective option.
They are also used in situations where you need to have multiple air conditioners controlled individually (e.g. heating an office in winter whilst still requiring cooling in a server room).
The more single-splits you install the more external condensers you require. If external space is at a premium then please see the other options in this menu.
-
MULTI ROOM?
Multi-Split Air Conditioners
A Multi-Split System uses multiple indoor cooling units (the amount is dependent on power requirements and the chosen brand) and one outdoor condenser box.
The advantage of Multi-Splits is that the internal cooling units can be individually controlled. If you are using it to cool multiple offices, this means that one unit can be off while the others are on, and each individual person can set it to their required temperature.
Please note that the internal cooling units must all be on the same mode, therefore, it is not possible to cool one room and heat another (please look at single-splits).
-
NO OUTSIDE BOX?
Water-Cooled Air Conditioners
Many office buildings in the UK and especially in London do not have planning permission to place condenser boxes on their exterior walls or roofs. In these cases, Water-Cooled Air Conditioners are the ideal solution as the entire system is located within the property.
Rather than releasing the heat to the outside world like traditional air conditioners (via a condenser box), Water-Cooled Air Conditioners have an internal unit connected to the mains water. Cold water is pumped through the system keeping it cool allowing the internal air conditioners to run efficiently.
Ducted Units for Offices
Another popular choice for offices is ducted air conditioning systems. They are usually the most expensive option; however, they are also the most aesthetically pleasing as the duct-work and internal units are hidden entirely within a suspended ceiling with only small grilles remaining visible.
Installing a ducted air conditioner within an office is best undertaken as part of a building project; however, if you have a suspended ceiling (like many offices do) then it can be easily retrofitted without significant disturbance.
There are a number of different grille styles available and when one of our surveyors has visited your office they’ll advise you of the most suitable options.
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