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 satisfy 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, which 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.
Ideal Systems for Offices
Wall Mounted Air Conditioners
- Most cost-effective for office spaces
- Silent operation for productive work
- One unit can often cool up to a 6-person office
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, multiple wall units strategically placed so the entire room enjoys the full benefit of the airflow would be required. Well-selected air conditioners are almost silent, allowing staff to work in both peace and comfort.
Where appearance is important, several premium wall-mounted units from different manufacturers look aesthetically pleasing. Check out the premium Daikin Stylish/Emura and Mitsubishi Zen/LN units by clicking the ‘Learn More’ button below.
Single-split air conditioners have one internal cooling unit and one external condenser box. They are the most basic and common systems installed. They are ideal for cooling a single room and are usually the most cost-effective option. They are also used in situations where multiple air conditioners need to be 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, please see the other options in this menu.
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).
These systems are ideal for larger open-plan offices. While 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 area and operate from the same control panel. Therefore, it is not possible to control the internal units individually, making them unsuitable for cooling multiple rooms with different temperatures.
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.
Many office buildings in the UK, 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 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
- Four-way airflow for balanced cooling
- Ideal for larger office spaces
- Individually controlled directional louvres
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 provide four-way airflow, making them ideal for large offices where multiple areas must receive balanced cooling. Some ceiling ‘cassette’ aircon units also have individually controlled louvers, allowing you to direct the air around the office as needed.
If you don’t have ‘false ceiling’ then you are better off using a wall-mounted system.
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 a single room and are usually the most cost-effective option. They are also used in situations where multiple air conditioners need to be controlled individually (e.g., heating an office in winter while 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, please see the other options in this menu.
A Multi-Split System uses multiple indoor cooling units (the number 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).
These systems are ideal for larger open-plan offices. While 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 area and operate from the same control panel. Therefore, it is not possible to control the internal units individually, making them unsuitable for cooling multiple rooms with different temperatures.
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.
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
- Most aesthetically pleasing office solution
- Only small ceiling grilles are visible
- Easy retrofit with suspended ceilings
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 ductwork 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 your office has a suspended ceiling (like many offices do), it can be easily retrofitted without significant disturbance.
There are several different grille styles available, and when one of our surveyors visits your office, they’ll advise you of the most suitable options.
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 a single room and are usually the most cost-effective option.
They are also used in situations where multiple air conditioners need to be controlled individually (e.g., heating an office in winter while 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, please see the other options in this menu.
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).
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.
See the Showroom in Person
We are London’s only air conditioning showroom where you can see every style of air conditioner in action. This is a useful opportunity to see the units ‘in the flesh’ as well as being able to meet our dedicated support and service team (tea, coffee, and biscuits are always on the menu!).
Get in TouchGet In Touch
How can we help you?
Choose one of the options below:
Complete the form below to request a free site survey and a member of our expert team will contact you shortly to arrange a visit. You can also call us on 020 8346 6000 during office hours.
Complete the form below for a free installation estimate, and a member of our expert team will contact you shortly to discuss your requirements and provide an estimate. You can also call us on 020 8346 6000 during office hours.
Complete the form below for a free maintenance quote and a member of our maintenance team will contact you shortly to discuss your requirements. You can also call us on 020 8346 6000 during office hours.
Complete the form below if you require a repair for your faulty air conditioner and a member of our repair team will contact you shortly to arrange to get your unit fixed ASAP. You can also call us on 020 8346 6000 during office hours.
Complete the form below. You can also call us on 020 8346 6000 during office hours.
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