Manage Climate Change All Year
With predictions for
more hot summers like 2006 air conditioning companies have been seeing a strong growth in
business despite record rain and cooler conditions this year. One reason for the
continuing expansion could be that air-con is no longer considered
a luxury and a necessity for many commercial buildings, shops and some private homes. As
building specifications demand more insulation extra, heat accumulates from the use of
computers and electronic machinery. Climate
management is a cost effective tool and apart from keeping the environment cool and
fresh in summer, temperatures can be maintained through the winter using one of the
cheapest forms of heating
available. Replacing older gas and oil-fired systems with modern heat pump driven systems can make
even greater savings.
David Knibbs, CEO of Towcester
based Air Conditioning Solutions (UK) Ltd,
believes local planning chiefs are aware that far from harming the environment air
conditioning using inverter technology for heating can be a benefit, reducing waste and
avoiding the need to buy portable
systems and fans that simply move hot humid air around the room. "The new technology
incorporated into the systems sold by our company has gained approval by a division of the
government agency DEFRA, for its energy efficiency and qualifies for a special tax
benefit. For domestic installations VAT is reduced to only 5% on the grounds of the
environmentally friendly nature of these new heating and cooling systems."
The benefits of managing the
environment where people are shopping and working are self-evident. The government are
being pressed by some trade unions to adopt recommendations made by the WHO for a maximum
temperature limit in the workplace of 24 degrees centigrade. Reports of lower absenteeism
by staff and pupils in schools and offices show that keeping the building temperature to a
comfortable level is a win-win solution in terms of energy management and productivity.