CREATING THE RIGHT WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT
Posted on 13 November 2017 by Phil Coleman
Choosing the right fabric and type of office blinds can make a huge difference to the productivity and morale of your team. People perform best when in a favourable environment, and temperature and light both play a major part in everyone’s performance and morale – two things that can be controlled and improved with good blinds. Check out our range of commercial office blinds here.
HEAT CONTROL
According to one study (Creating the productive workplace – E & FN Spon. 2000) a workspace exposed to a temperature of 25-30 degrees leads to a 2% loss in productivity. This figure can reach 10% when the temperature exceeds 30 degrees.
Some fabrics have been designed specifically to control the temperatures during the summer.
We installed a job recently for a major hotel chain in their gym because the air conditioning just couldn’t keep the room cool enough.
The windows were floor-to-ceiling and south-facing with net curtains.
We installed vertical blinds with a reflective fabric to help control the temperature. We knew it would work, but we were still pleasantly surprised at just how much of an improvement the client saw. The air con in that room is now running at a quarter of what it was before the blinds were installed.
Result: Happy customers and staff and reduced energy bills; I think that is what you call a win-win.
GLARE CONTROL
Uncontrolled glare particularly on computer screens is a source of eye fatigue. This not only slows down a person’s work rate but often results in health problems which ultimately lead to absences from work.
The reflective fabric used in the heat control example is also perfect for glare control.
Blackout fabric is another option, but this could have the effect of making the room too dark, whereas, with the reflective fabric, you will still get light entering the room without the problem of glare.
Correctly specified office blinds are the most cost-effective and environmentally sustainable method of controlling these two variables thereby enhancing the working environment.
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Huge reductions in air conditioning and artificial lighting usage. Buildings account for almost half of all energy consumption and CO2 emissions in the UK. As the drive to cut carbon emissions gathers pace, cost-effective ways of reducing energy consumption are being sought.
In a typical office building lighting, heating and cooling represents approximately 65% of energy use. Solar shading products have an important role to play in improving energy efficiency.
It is widely recognised that more than double the amount of energy is required to cool a room than to heat a room.
Correctly specified office blinds will reduce the solar gain but also allow good levels of natural light, resulting in a dramatic reduction in air conditioning and artificial lighting usage. In the winter and at night, window blinds act as an insulator, reducing the amount of warm air escaping the building through the glass thus reducing the strain on the building's heating system.
Solar shading is a cost-effective solution that can have a big impact. By reducing carbon emissions, not only are you doing your bit towards a sustainable future you will also enjoy the benefits of a reduction in energy costs and an increase in productivity as a result of enhanced working environments.
