Simple tips to keep the office cool

Posted on 2018-10-17 by Choice Office Furniture.  Tags: Choice Office Furniture

After a hot summer throughout Alberta, keeping cool is on the mind of most Albertans. Air conditioning is easily the most effective approach to stay cool during heat waves, but many workplaces lack air conditioning (or at least lack air conditioning that keeps you cool enough while at your desk). Fortunately there are simple ways to keep cool while working without relying on air conditioning.

The key to keeping cool while at work is airflow. Air conditioning, ventilation and fans are serious tactics to airflow, but there are solutions that can be implemented right at your desk.

Mesh chairs allow air to circulate throughout the seat and back while still providing support to remain comfortable throughout the entire workday. Chairs with extensive padding are excellent for ergonomics, but they lack the ability to breathe. Mesh is the cool alternative.

To balance ergonomics with airflow, mesh chairs come in a variety of arrangements: mesh seats and backs or just mesh backs. The Diffrient World series of seating is a chair with mesh seats and backs but is designed for long-term comfort. With three layers of mesh on the seatback, the chair has tremendous lumbar support with a lightweight design. The seat is a tight-weave mesh, which maintains support while providing airflow. This lightweight chair offers manual adjustments, complete range of motions and provides the sense that you’re sitting on air.

Many office chairs have padded seats with mesh backs – a design that offers comprehensive ergonomics with a cool seatback. Try the Code executive chair for a seat that has an upholstered seat with a mesh back.

Another simple way to cool your workstation is reducing the amount of sunlight. Closing window blinds or setting up temporary dividers can minimize warming from sunlight. To block light but not constrict workstations, modern privacy dividers are increasingly sophisticated. For example, the WaveWall has a series of wave panels that minimize light but allow air to pass through – perfect to block sunlight while allowing ventilation.

As the summer heat continues into the fall, keep cool by blocking sunlight while allowing air to flow throughout the office.