Office air conditioning is one of the most important factors in staff productivity and wellbeing. Research consistently shows that office temperatures above 25°C measurably reduce cognitive performance — and UK offices regularly exceed this in summer without adequate climate control. Here is what office managers and business owners in Surrey, Sussex and South London need to know.
How Many People, What Size System?
Rough guide for open-plan offices in a well-insulated modern building:
- Up to 5 people (approx 30 sq m): Single 5kW wall-mounted unit — £1,500-2,500
- 5-15 people (approx 60-80 sq m): Multi-split system (2-4 indoor units) — £4,000-8,000
- 15-30 people (approx 100-150 sq m): VRF system or large multi-split — £8,000-18,000
- 30+ people: VRF system — quote required
These are guidelines only. Actual requirements depend on glazing area, orientation, insulation, equipment heat load and occupancy density. We carry out a proper heat load calculation for every commercial quote.
Individual Offices vs Open Plan
For a building with a mix of individual offices and open-plan areas, a VRF system with individual cassette units in each room provides the best solution — each zone can be controlled independently, avoiding the persistent office argument about temperature. Wall-mounted multi-split systems work well for smaller offices where all occupants share the same space.
Minimising Disruption During Installation
We install commercial systems outside business hours wherever possible — evenings and weekends. For phased installations in occupied buildings, we work floor by floor or zone by zone to maintain working conditions throughout. A well-planned installation in a busy office should cause minimal disruption.
F-Gas Compliance
Office air conditioning systems are almost always subject to F-Gas requirements — most commercial systems contain more than 3kg of refrigerant and require annual inspection by a certified engineer. We provide F-Gas documentation on every service visit and maintain compliance records for all our commercial clients. Failure to maintain F-Gas records can result in regulatory action and invalidate insurance coverage.
Planned Maintenance
A planned maintenance contract gives you priority response when repairs are needed, predictable annual maintenance cost, and the confidence that your system is running efficiently and compliantly. For businesses where air conditioning failure would significantly disrupt operations (offices in summer heatwaves, server rooms), a planned contract with guaranteed response time is worth the investment.
Call 07833 053749 or contact us for a free commercial consultation. We cover East Grinstead, Surrey, Sussex and South London.