The Benefits Linked To Air Conditioning – Beyond Feeling Comfortable
Estimated reading time 10 minutes
Air conditioning can be a blessing especially during heatwaves in playing a vital role to keep us cool and comfortable. However, many people forget that feeling comfortable isn’t the only benefit that air conditioning brings. In fact, having an air conditioning system can provide a multitude of advantages over buildings or spaces that aren’t air conditioned. In this article we look at a few of the many ways air conditioning is advantageous.
Keeping Cool
Keeping cool can be lifesaving.
According to a UK Parliament Post “The frequency, duration and intensity of extreme heat and heatwaves in the UK has been increasing. Five periods of extreme heat were recorded in England in 2022. Temperatures exceeded 40°C for the first time. Heat impacts the body and can lead to illness and death. The summer 2022 heat periods were associated with 2,985 deaths in England. The number of heat-related deaths is projected to increase with climate change, and as the population grows and ages.” The independent reports that “More than 10,000 people have died during UK heatwaves since 2020, as scientists warn to prepare for more intense temperatures, more often.”
In fact, the UK is suffering through another heatwave. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issued an amber heat alert in England in the third week of June, with temperatures reaching 32.2oC at Kew in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and 33.2oC in Charlwood, Surrey. According to the Met Office another heatwave could be on its way.
The Guardian newspaper quotes the Met Office as saying “the UK could exceed temperatures of 40C in the near future, and highs of 45C “may be possible” in the current climate.”
Air conditioning can allow you to maintain a comfortable indoor temperature on hot days preventing heat related deaths and illnesses which can range from heat exhaustion with symptoms including tiredness, dizziness, headache, excessive sweating, pale and clammy skin, heat rash, cramps in the arms, legs and stomach, fast breathing or increased heartbeat, a high temperature and being very thirsty to heatstroke with symptoms like confusion, seizures, and loss of consciousness.
Improving Air Quality
In 2010, the Environment Audit Committee considered that the cost of health impacts of air pollution was likely to exceed estimates of £8 to £20 billion.
Scientific studies consistently show that good air quality is crucial to human health. Public Health England (PHE) state that “Poor air quality is the largest environmental risk to public health in the UK, as long-term exposure to air pollution can cause chronic conditions such as cardiovascular and respiratory diseases as well as lung cancer, leading to reduced life expectancy.”
“Epidemiological studies have shown that long-term exposure to air pollution (over years or lifetimes) reduces life expectancy, mainly due to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases and lung cancer. Short-term exposure (over hours or days) to elevated levels of air pollution can also cause a range of health impacts, including effects on lung function, exacerbation of asthma, increases in respiratory and cardiovascular hospital admissions and mortality.”
PHE also explain that “the scale of the problem should not be under estimated with stats showing that long term exposure to air pollution has an annual effect equivalent of 28,000 to 36,000 deaths.
A modelling framework developed by Imperial College London and the UK Health Forum, in collaboration with and funded by PHE estimates that a 1 µg/m3 reduction in fine particulate air pollution in England could prevent around 50,900 cases of coronary heart disease, 16,500 strokes, 9,300 cases of asthma and 4,200 lung cancers over an 18 year period.
Good air quality doesn’t just reduce illness it can also have an impact on mental health, cognitive function and productivity. The University of Leeds have carried out projects to look at air quality in different environments including schools and found that “Ventilation doesn’t just reduce the risk of illness. Studies have shown that it can also improve pupils’ concentration, cognitive performance, and productivity – in addition to reducing a range of respiratory symptoms.”
Air conditioning can play a vital role in indoor air quality. Air conditioning systems filter the air that passes through them. As air circulates the filters act as barriers trapping dust, pollen, mould spores, allergens and pollutants and preventing these particulates from circulating indoors and stopping people from breathing them in.
Controlling Humidity Levels
The UK very often experiences higher humidity levels than other countries, especially during heatwaves. This is why many people complain that lower temperatures in the UK can often feel like higher temperatures abroad.
A My London article quotes a spokesperson from the Met Office as saying "The level of humidity can be higher in the UK than in continental Europe. If humidity is high, it is harder for the human body to keep cool as your sweat doesn't evaporate as quickly. This is made worse given that we are experiencing more 'tropical nights' – nights where the temperature doesn't go below 20C, meaning we get no respite from the heat and time for our body to recover."
Perspiring is the body's natural way of regulating temperature by allowing it to release heat. Humidity holds heat and makes the air feel clammy. When the air is clammy and filled with moisture it makes it harder for us to keep cool. If the air is 100% relative humidity, then sweat will not evaporate into the air as the air is already saturated. This leads to us feeling hot and blocks the body’s natural process of cooling down. If on the other hand the humidity is low, then our bodies are able to sweat, and perspiration is released and evaporates into the air. People tend to feel most comfortable at a relative humidity of between 30% and 50%.
If we can’t effectively keep cool, it can lead to overheating, heat exhaustion, dehydration as well as other heat related issues including fatigue, muscle cramps and fainting. The reverse is also true, low humidity can dry out our skin and nasal passages and exacerbate respiratory conditions.
High humidity levels can also impact buildings. When the air contains more water, it increases the chance of indoor condensation making buildings attractive to mildew and mould. Inhaling or coming into contact with mould spores can cause a variety of allergic reactions, such a runny nose, throat irritation, coughing or wheezing, eye irritation and skin rash. Mould can also cause asthma attacks. Where there’s mould there’s also likely to be a “musty” or “rotting” odour.
By removing the moisture from the air an air conditioning system can control humidity levels. As the air passes over the cold evaporator coils the water vapour in the air cools down and condenses into a liquid which then drips into a condensate pan below the evaporator coil and is then drained away. By removing the excess water vapour from the air an air conditioning system reduces the humidity levels producing a more comfortable environment, making it easier for people to easily regulate their body temperature as well as keeping a building free from mould and mildew.
Fewer Pollutants and Allergens/Less Allergies
Air conditioning systems can improve the quality of indoor air by significantly reducing the pollutants and allergens that our air contains, through filtration.
An article in the Journal of Allergy looked at ”The effects of central air conditioning on pollen, mold, and bacterial concentrations” and found that “central air conditioning markedly lowered the pollen counts during the ragweed pollen season in comparison with the home with no air conditioning and to outdoors. A highly allergic individual residing in the air-conditioned house had less symptoms during the season than a comparable allergic individual residing in the control house.” This is backed up by a study on “The effect of central air filtration and air conditioning on pollen and microbial contamination” in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology which found that air conditioning/air filtration can be a very effective method for lowering detectable pollen concentrations indoors.
The National Library of Medicine paper “Effect of air filtration systems on asthma: a systematic review of randomized trials” concluded that “among patients with allergies and asthma, use of air filters is associated with fewer symptoms.”
It’s clear that an air conditioning system with a good filtration system can improve the quality of the indoor air we breathe and decrease allergies and asthma with the caveat that filtration systems only work well if they are regularly cleaned and maintained to ensure there is no build-up of dust or debris which could impair the filters and cause them to become clogged, preventing them from working effectively.
Protects Equipment and Furniture
Being able to maintain a set indoor temperature and humidity doesn’t just protect human health it also protects the fabric of a building, the furniture and furnishings within the building and any electronic equipment.
Heat and humidity, if uncontrolled can cause issues to furnishings and furniture including causing materials to fade and discolour. Fabric can also shrink, sag or rot and wood can warp and split.
Where electronics are involved heat and humidity can have a devastating effect. When temperatures rise, the performance of computers can be impacted as they begin to slow down. Heat increases electrical resistance causing voltage drops and potential equipment failures. High humidity can cause corrosion and short circuits. This is why server rooms containing business critical equipment need to be tightly temperature controlled to ensure the servers don’t overheat and crash. Keeping a consistent cool temperature ensures critical equipment can continue to perform optimally. Cooler temperatures can also extend the lifespan of electrical equipment.
Productivity
When indoor temperature, humidity and air quality are controlled studies show that there is a positive impact on productivity.
We all know that it can be extremely challenging when working in a building that’s either too hot or too cold. Instead of concentrating on work we are more likely to be thinking about how to cool down or stay warm. This will clearly have a direct impact on work productivity. In fact studies have shown that “performance increases with temperature up to 21-22°C, and decreases with temperature above 23-24°C. The highest productivity is at temperature of around 22°C. For example, at the temperature of 30°C the performance is only 91.1% of the maximum i.e., the reduction in performance is 8.9%.”
A study published by Loughborough University established that “Productivity drops by 76% throughout the workday when temperatures hit 40°C”. The study’s findings were said to “enhance current understanding of the consequences of extended occupational heat exposure and provide evidence that can be used to more accurately predict the socio-economic burden of future extreme heat. A significant drop in productivity will have a significant impact on employee welfare and business output.”
The Facilities Management Journal debate on the “ideal workplace temperature” found that “Temperature has a massive impact on your mood and can have a subsequent impact on your productivity and attitude towards work.” The article goes into say that higher temperatures are linked to “conflict increasing by 14%.”
Beyond feeling comfortable, which in itself can be a major benefit of air conditioning, being able to control indoor temperature and humidity brings with it a multitude of advantages, some of which are listed above, when compared to buildings and spaces which are not temperature or humidity controlled. Given the ever-increasing number of UK heatwaves and the prediction that the UK must prepare for more intense temperatures, more often, air conditioning is becoming a must in homes and commercial properties.
Synecore
Syncore is an expert in air conditioning design and installation for your home and business. We are an approved supplier and installation expert for air conditioning brands, Mitsubishi Electric, Toshiba, and Daikin. These brands are the disruptors in developing clean and efficient cooling and heating solutions for commercial and residential properties.
If you are looking to install a new air conditioning installation contact our team or call on 01795 509 509. We’ll talk you through your options and provide you with expert advice on the right system for you.
