The temperature in any building plays a major role in the comfort of its occupants; but particular attention should be paid to it in common spaces such as the workplace.

The right temperature not only influences comfort and well-being, but also has an impact on productivity, which we have explored previously. “The ‘battle’ in the office space for temperature control is a reality, especially in countries where seasons are marked and weather conditions change frequently, making it almost impossible to find the right décor to suit all needs. In fact, according to a study conducted in the UK , employees spend on average 2% of office hours adjusting the temperature, turning the air conditioner on and off, reducing its efficiency and wasting precious energy.

How can companies ensure that workplace temperature and comfort conditions are met while using energy-efficient solutions? One of the tools that can help achieve this is the use of air conditioning in .

What is air conditioning zoning and how does it work?
A zoned air conditioning system divides a space into different zones to provide separate heating and cooling. Instead of having one thermostat or controller for the entire air-conditioned workplace, each zone could have its own thermostat or controller to adjust the temperature according to employee preference, making it possible to meet different temperature requirements in different zones.

Zoning can be done using both ducted and non-ducted HVAC systems. Du ducted systems require dampers, which are movable vents that channel the air flowing through the ducts by opening and closing them fully or partially. Modern systems have automatic dampers which move according to the comfort required in each zone and are controlled by thermostat or controller.

Meanwhile, ductless air-conditioning systems can be zoned by multi-split/multi-zone or variable refrigerant flow (VRF) systems, the latter allowing up to 64 indoor air-conditioning units to be attached to a single outdoor unit. Depending on the system, each indoor unit can have its own remote control to adjust the temperature to the requirements of different zones. There is also the option to have a centralized controller that gives the operator full visibility of the operation of a zoned AC system. We’ll take a look at the benefits of different types of control options in the next section.

Air conditioning in the workplace

What are the benefits of the AC zone?
A zoned air conditioning system has many benefits beyond reducing potential arguments between colleagues. Here are some of the key advantages:

• Energy efficiency:
  A zoned AC system can mean increased energy savings. With more control over each zone, including the ability to deactivate zones when they are not occupied, energy waste can be avoided or greatly reduced. With Oneconcept VRF systems, energy efficiency can be further optimized by adopting motion sensors or the Twin-Sense panel, which detects if a zone has human activity and signals whether to operate or not. This smarter operation means that running costs can be greatly reduced without physical interaction with the system and always ensuring optimal comfort is provided.
• More uniform temperature:
  One of the most common complaints in conventional air conditioning system work spaces is the presence of hot and cold spots. If a particular area in the building feels a few degrees warmer or cooler than the rest, you are experiencing a hot or cold spot. If the system uses a single thermostat, it gives erratic temperatures when providing air conditioning over large areas because it gives temperature readings only for the space surrounding the thermostat. A zoned system makes it easier to generate uniform temperatures throughout the workspace or even on the floor.
• Minimizing the impact of large windows and sun direction:
  Somewhat related to our previous point, if office space is spread across the entire floor of the building, the direction of the sun will greatly affect the temperature in different areas, making some spaces feel naturally warmer than others. For example, south-facing windows barely receive any sunlight, while north-facing windows receive plenty throughout the day, making the latter much warmer than the former. This can be even further exaggerated when there are large glass windows, which can make employees standing near or around these areas feel like they’re in a sunroom. Zoning can reduce this feeling by allowing these areas to be cooler than those that are less affected.
• Different temperatures for different types of work.
  Workplaces that have employees performing different types of tasks have different requirements; for example, office work as opposed to warehouse work. Employees who work in the warehouse will likely perform more physical activities and therefore have different temperature requirements than their colleagues who do office tasks. A zoned AC system can divide the office space into zones based on the type of work they perform and fulfill their comfort needs.

Improved indoor air quality. The indoor air quality (IAQ) of a building is an indicator that has an impact on occupant health, productivity and more, and is the result of aspects such as temperature, humidity, CO2 levels and small particles (dust, hair, fibers) present in the air. Zoned air conditioning systems can help reduce the build-up of some of these, meaning healthier, safer and more comfortable spaces.

How do employees benefit from zoned air conditioning?

As emphasized above, comfort is essential for every occupant of a building, although for employees, who may spend around 8-10 hours a day in the workplace, temperature and air conditioning become an element that can affect their health and well-being. Efforts to maintain optimal IAQ will ensure that employees spend their time in the office in healthier and safer environments, reducing the risk of unnecessary stress and/or illness.

Employee productivity and comfort are inevitably linked. One of the elements that employees take into account and which influence their job satisfaction is a healthy working environment. Maintaining high employee satisfaction rates results in higher productivity, which in turn results in increased profits. Zoned air conditioning can help. Here are the main benefits of a zoned air conditioning system for employees:

• Reduce temperature complaints.
  Our bodies react in different ways when exposed to different temperatures. Warmer temperatures can make us feel exhausted, as the body has to expend more energy to cool down. Also, if environments are too hot for long periods of time, it can cause dizziness, one of the symptoms of heat exposure and dehydration. At the other end of the scale, slightly cooler temperatures can numb our brains, making us feel lethargic and unable to concentrate for prolonged periods; air that’s too cold, hot or even dry also aggravate allergies and skin sensitivities. They benefit from a zoned AC system that provides even thermal comfort in all areas of the workplace. However, air conditioning is not enough and indoor spaces need to be ventilated to replenish the air 2-3 times an hour.
• It responds to different temperatures and needs.
  Optimal thermal comfort is the temperature at which a person feels comfortable, neither too cold nor too hot. But applying this to the workplace is not as easy as it sounds, as it can be different for each person, and the difference is quite significant between men and women. According to studies , women tend to have a lower resting metabolic rate than men, which means women’s bodies produce less heat, which explains the familiar scenarios of women feeling too cold at work, while their male colleagues might feel too hot. With AC zoning, it’s easier to give employees different comfort temperatures in different zones.