We recently read a very interesting article that addressed the dividing nature of air conditioning.  It may sound like a silly sort of topic for a news article, but it actually made perfect sense, and would to anyone working in this industry.  Air conditioning is a widely desired in this country, and in most places around the world, but even a group of people living in the same region, the same climate can have widely varying opinions of how much air-conditioning is necessary in a space.

The trouble is that we all feel heat and cold differently.  Some are quick to fatigue, and may even feel ill after being under the hot sun for a short time.  Others will quickly grow uncomfortable in air-conditioned spaces. Some would like their homes to maintain a temperature of 69-degrees year-round.  Others would prefer to maintain set-points closer to 75-degrees.  That is a big swing, and you can image that it might cause issues in office buildings, shopping centers, and other shared spaces.

Until relatively recently, most properties were not air-conditioned.  Most felt a sense of relief when A/C became affordable for the average business- and home owner.  However, for many property owners, there is still the problem of differing opinions on acceptable temperatures.  Age, sex, medications, medical conditions, and other factors can cause even bigger rifts between employees in an office building.

Much of this problem can be alleviated by established more zones within a work space.  Very often, the trouble arises because there is a single thermostat controlling a large number of offices.  It might actually best to consider multiple zones that can be independently controlled, so some can choose to keep their spaces warmer, while others avoid overheating with lower set points.  This, actually, can reduce heating and cooling costs.  It also provides the opportunity to install smart thermostats that can automatically adjust set-points, to boost energy savings, when the space is unoccupied.