The recent heat wave has brought a rare and frustrating problem for business owners and office managers in the UK, the phenomenon of hot weather and the impact on worker productivity which can drop by up to 25%, topped by heightened absenteeism, as workers ‘pull a sickie’ or get that ‘Friday Feeling’ and take a long weekend!
Economists have estimated that the recent heat wave will have cost in the region of $190 million a day, as workers take ‘sickies’. Hundreds of thousands of workers had taken at least one day off by the end of last week (Friday 3rd July) and productivity was also expected to drop sharply last week, in line with previous heat wave trends. It is unsurprising really that as temperatures soar, workers in non air conditioned offices and factories struggle to maintain their work rate.
Even when offices have aircon, many business owners neglect to keep their air conditioning equipment regularly serviced and maintained, resulting in frustrating breakdowns when the system is under pressure by a prolonged period of ‘super’ hot weather. Until now a rare but it appears now an increasingly more frequent UK occurrence.
Local company, Cool Concerns Mechanical, offers affordable and regular maintenance contracts for all commercial air conditioning systems. Giving businesses a minimum of two visits a year, with no upfront fees for the full year – the client pays as their equipment is serviced. An attractive option for smaller businesses, particularly in the current tight economic climate.
Cool Concerns Mechanical also provides business with aircon inspections and advises businesses on the forthcoming R-22 (refrigerant)
For many businesses, existing aircon and refrigeration equipment using R-22, whilst efficient at the time of installation, uses considerably more energy than the latest refrigeration and air conditioning units, that utilise non-HCFC refrigerants, such as R410a and R407c. In some instances these new units can deliver more than a 50% reduction in energy consumption, saving business owners considerable costs on utility bills.
Dave Westbrook, Managing Director of Cool Concerns Mechanical comments “We work with businesses to help them make the right choices about purchasing and maintaining air conditioning and can advise on how to comply with the R-22 phase out, identify which equipment is affected and advise on the most energy efficient and cost effective options available.”
More information available at: www.cool-concerns.co.uk.
