What is the ideal office temperature?

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Too hot, too cold – you can’t please everyone when it comes to the perfect office temperature. A 2015 survey of 129 office workers in the US found that 42 per cent of people think their building is too warm, while 56 per cent think it’s too cold. And it’s a significant disagreement because temperature affects productivity – if you’re swearing at your desk, you’ll have trouble applying yourself to your tasks at work, and the same applies if you’re bundled up in jackets. So, what is the optimum working temperature?

Government website Gov.uk says that there’s no law for minimum or maximum working temperatures, other than a suggested minimum of 16°C or 13°C if employees are doing physical work. There are, however, stipulations that during working hours the temperature in all indoor workplaces must be reasonable and that according to health and safety at work law, employers must keep the temperature at a comfortable level, and provide clean and fresh air. Helpful but also vague.

To give a more pointed answer out to the conundrum that is office temperature, researchers at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory collected productivity readings and temperature recordings from 24 different studies and found that the perfect temperature should be between 20°C and 25°C. This might seem a tad too warm but another study that looked at the thermal effects on office productivity by measuring the activity of clerks in an insurance office, found that at 25°C the clerks were typing non-stop with an error rate of just 10 per cent. When the temperature dropped five degrees, they were half as productive, more than doubling the number of mistakes.

It seems that, as per research (and there is so much more of it than the couple of studies mentioned here), 21°C-25°C is a sensible temperature range to aim for in the workplace. Along with that, employees should be encouraged to dress appropriately (on an effort to moderate their temperature) and to verbalise their concerns if they feel that the office temperature is affecting their concentration and productivity.

Contact the CH Systems team on 0208 302 8149 or info@chsystems.co.uk if you have any energy queries relating to your home or business.

Sources: bbc.com – “The never-ending battle over the best office temperature”; “How temperature affects productivity in the workplace”

Louthus Romford

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One of the most challenging projects the CH team has worked on was an assist on a block of apartments directly above a parade of shops, with the plant room above the stair well.

The district heating scheme providing low temperature hot water (LTHW) to he heat interface units in each flat is served by a Valliant Buffer, which is in turn served by a pair of Vaillant boilers. The primary pipework required modification from the boilers to the buffer vessel as there was not sufficient flow. The secondary pipework also required modifications to ensure we got the required flow rates. Tough stuff.

Our team managed to complete all the work in one day and with little disruption.

 

The primary pipework required modification from the boilers to the buffer vessel as there was not sufficient flow. The secondary pipework also required modifications to ensure we got the required flow rates.

Our team managed to complete all the works with only one day of down time to the tenants and with little disruption.

Midsomer Norton

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This Plant Room upgrade in Midsomer Norton required the removal of an old floor standing shell and tube boiler, which was fitted with a still-functional Nu-Way burner. We also removed a gas fired Andrews water heater and Stockvis Domestic hot water plate exchanger.

As you can see from the pictures below, it is extremely important to inspect flues during services as the inner wall of the flue had completely collapsed and was blocking the flue way.

These appliances served a Leisure Centre so we had to maintain services for the duration of the project. We fitted 4no Remeha boilers complete with frames, a low loss header and mixing pot, which then goes out to feed the system. The low temperature hot water system (LTHW) was installed in Geberit Low carbon steel Mapress and the gas was fitted in Stainless Steel. We also had to pipe up the new air handling unit which was replaced as the previous model had no heat recovery option.

Overall, this project was completed punctually with minimal ‘down time’ to the centre, which will soon see the benefits of a more energy efficient system.

BEFORE

Walthamstow SSL

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The CH team was briefed to fit two new Hamworthy Wessex ModuMax mk3 boilers (alongside the existing Hamworthy boilers) in a recent Plant Room upgrade for a national supermarket Chain in Walthamstow.

Our welders had to fabricate a number of spool pieces to enable us to connect to the Imperial Table D flanges. We also had to fabricate a 6-inch header to which all 4 boilers then connected on to. The gas run on this installation was all carried out in 108mm Geberit Mapress Stainless and was slightly challenging as we had to run this on the underside of the first floor slab; the work was all carried out on a SkyJack SJ19, which greatly helped in reducing the installation time.

The heating coil that serves the shop floor air handling unit was also changed over during the course of the project and we’re happy with the final result.

Why UK businesses are switching supplier

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The latest news from <a href=”http://www.energy-uk.org.uk/” rel=”noopener” target=”_blank”>Energy UK</a> is that more than 660,000 customers switched their electricity supplier in February 2018; a 60 per cent rise on February 2017. This is the highest number yet, according to industry figures, which reference both home owners and business customers. The trade association also said that the figure continues to rise, as over a million customers have switched so far (12 March) this year.

Energy UK cited one reason as the cold weather during the month, and another reason for the record number of switchers as the publicity campaigns by suppliers and switching websites. <em>Read between the lines:</em> businesses want to save money!

Interestingly, a fifth of the switches in February were away from the so-called Big Six energy firms to smaller or mid-sized suppliers, and according to Ofgem; the biggest savings are achieved by moving from the expensive standard variable tariffs to cheaper fixed-term deals.

Like so many other businesses, are you thinking about switching energy supplier in order to save money? Fortunately, recent changes to legislation mean that this switching window (and the rules surrounding it) has been altered, giving businesses more leeway.

The new rules mean switching windows have effectively been abolished. As such, businesses are free to inform their current supplier that they’d like to switch – and free to arrange that switch – at any point from the beginning of a contract up to 30 days before it expired (the notice period, mentioned above).

What’s more, the process of rolling businesses onto more expensive contracts – and tying them into these contracts if they hadn’t arranged a switch or renewal – has been stopped.

To take full advantage of these freedoms, read “<a href=”http://www.moneysupermarket.com/gas-and-electricity/business-energy/switching-supplier/” rel=”noopener” target=”_blank”>Switching your business energy supplier</a>” and contact the CH Systems team on 0208 302 8149 or <a href=’ma&#105;lt&#111;&#58;&#37;69&#37;6&#69;fo&#64;&#99;&#104;sys&#116;%65m&#115;&#46;c&#99;’>&#105;nfo&#64;ch&#115;ystems&#46;cc</a> if you have any practical energy queries relating to your home or business.

<em><strong>Source:</strong> bbc.co.uk – “<a href=”http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-43349644″ rel=”noopener” target=”_blank”>Record numbers switching electricity supplier</a>”</em>

Top business trends for small businesses in 2018

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When planning your business strategy for the year it’s important to affiliate your goals with current industry trends. Technological advances, hiring practices and marketing strategies, for example, will all have an effect on the ambitions you have for your company and how you go about achieving them. Have a look at these topical business trends as you rethink your strategy for the forthcoming year:

Micro-influencer marketing – Micro-influencers are influencers with less than 100K followers, who can actually be a more effective marketing tool for your small business (as opposed to macro-influencers) as they have a more attainable lifestyle, and are thus easier for your target audience to relate to. It might be worth reaching out to this type of influencer as a marketing partner in 2018?

Artificial Intelligence – AI is the next big thing, everyone’s talking about it. If predictions are correct – that by 2020 AI will be a top five investment priority – then it’s time to start strategising. As a small business owner, this could mean investing in data collection, integrating AI into your small business and training your team for AI.

Cashless payments – While cash is currently the most popular means of payment, mobile payment is on the rise (and checks on the decrease), with 56 per cent of customers likely to pay in this way by 2020. Your business can keep up to date by adopting mobile wallets like Apple Pay, Samsung Pay or Google Pay; also offering in-app, in-browser and person-to-person (P2P) payment platforms.

Outsourcing – A growing trend, outsourcing is particularly useful for small businesses, which can outsource work in areas that are beyond allocated expertise – a bookkeeper, accountant, marketing strategist or social media manager are all examples of some such skills that might thrive on a pay-as-you-go hiring initiative.

Hiring ‘Gen Z’ employees – Born after 1998, Gen Z is making its presence known in the workforce but unlike ‘needy’ Millennials, Gen Z is more likely to be motivated by a steady salary than the pursuit of happiness, and will adapt quickly to technological advances (more so than any other previous generation).

Employees working remotely – This has the potential to save your small business money, as a result of an increase in employee productivity and a decrease in employee turnover (as per resent research).

For more information on any of these topics as well as other business trends to watch out for this year, read “10 Small Business Trends to Watch Out for in 2018” – Huffingtonpost.com.

Contact the CH Systems team on 0208 302 8149 or info@chsystems.co.uk if you have any energy queries relating to your home or business.

How energy efficient lighting can save your business money

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We might be on our way to summer but in spite of the fact that days are getting lighter we’ll be using lights for a while yet because let’s face it; the days are still dark (morning and evening especially). But that doesn’t mean we can’t be thrifty!

Lights left on at night and a lack of attention to the number and placement of fittings in an office or business premises can not only be the cause of light pollution (no, really!) but is likely to hike energy costs way beyond what is necessary.

According to the buffs at the Energy Saving Trust; for the individual business, a lighting upgrade can bring quick payback. On average, 25 per cent of an organisation’s electricity costs come from lighting but a switch to lower-consuming LEDs can reduce this amount, in some cases by as much as 80 per cent.

A further benefit of LED lighting (as opposed to other options) is the controllability factor, which is great in an office where, for example, lights left on when everyone has gone home can be dimmed or even fully switched off remotely to make huge savings on overheads.

Whether you’re a coffee shop, a school, an office block or the local Oxfam, the benefits of LED lighting are tantamount to exceptional savings. Businesses and many local authorities are currently engaged in LED upgrades, and if you’d like to find out more the Energy Trust is running a series of workshops in 2018 through the Premium Light Pro project. The workshops aim to equip installers, planners and decision-makers with the knowledge and tools to drive an LED upgrade plan to completion – CLICK HERE to register.

Source: Energytrust.co.uk – “Bringing a brighter start to 2018”

If you’d like further information, feel free to contact the CH Systems team on 0208 302 8149 or info@chsystems.cc.

Preparing to shut your business for Christmas? Check out these top tips:

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For a business owner to well truly relax over Christmas (is there really such a thing?) it’s important to plan for a succinct company closure over the holiday period. Deadlines must be met, work finalised, employees paid…all of the typical things that need to happen at the end of the year. And don’t forget to let your clients know!

But then there’s also the equipment, which must be switched off to enable an easy re-start in the New Year. If an ‘electrical shutdown’ is not done properly, you may face issues on your first day back and this will result in lost productivity…and money! This can easily be avoided with some forward thinking.

To properly shut down your production line (including all equipment such as computers, printers and other machinery as well as data equipment), you’ll need to take into consideration how different pieces of equipment and systems interact…i.e. what happens to A and B when I switch off C? In order to initiate a ‘shut down sequence’ that will ensure you don’t lose/damage important documents or compromise the functionality of your equipment, make sure whoever is manning the closure has a clear understanding of what needs to be turned off first, and thereafter.

Finally, make sure lights are off and plugs turned off at the socket to avoid the electrical charges incurred when products are left on standby.

For more useful hints and tips relating to the shutdown of your business this Christmas, read “Planning and preparing your business for Christmas shut down” on Britishgas.co.uk.

And have a very merry Christmas…from the team at CH Systems!

Contact the CH Systems team on 0208 302 8149 or info@chsystems.co.uk if you have any energy queries relating to your home or business.

Monitor your energy use with new Baxi technology

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For company owners eager to improve the efficiency of the heating technology that drives their business, Baxi’s newly launched smart control solution will certainly pique some interest.
It’s a uSense smart control that can connect to a boiler with a downloadable app that allows users to control heating from a smartphone or table (from anywhere) as well as monitor energy use and costs so optimum money-saving settings can be calculated.

The smart control is compatible with all Baxi combi boilers that make use of the 230V switch live in a drive to provide more efficient technology in line with a growing focus on sustainable heating for homes and businesses.

Baxi has also launched a new combi boiler designed to weigh under 30kg! The Baxi 600 is small enough to fit into a cupboard and comes with new accessory; the Easy-Fill, which allows consumers to easily repressurise their boiler themselves. Perfect for small businesses! Customers will also benefit from a seven-year warranty with Baxi’s newbie.

H&V News writes that Baxi’s announcement of the launch of the new model and smart control solution reflects a broader push from boiler manufacturers to integrate or offer smart controls with their products.

If you’d like further information, feel free to contact the CH Systems team on 0208 302 8149 or info@chsystems.cc.

Why self-sustaining gyms are on the rise in the workplace

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As a business owner, have you ever thought about a self-sustaining gym? As in…you and your employees expend energy and save the business energy with simultaneous effect?

Britishgas.co.uk recently wrote about a health club in Bristol – The Cadbury
Club – that has become one of the first gyms in the world to the ARTIS Technogym machines.

ARTIS uses unique technology that reduces energy use, recycling and renewing energy. The energy expended by people using the equipment is rerouted into the network and renewed to feed the gym – hence the term ‘self-sustaining’ gym.

So, why a gym at work when there’s one around just about every corner? Well – just becausethere are gyms, it doesn’t mean people will use them. A healthy lifestyle may improve workforce productivity and by hosting a gym at work, the ‘convenience factor’ could encourage employees to get fit, which in turn should increase work ethic – exercise produces endorphins aiding employees with more self-confidence and energy. As long as it’s fun and
voluntary.

The idea behind self-powering gym workstations is that you can use them easily to include a ‘little and often’ exercise routine into your normal working day. And if they don’t cost the business money to run…why not?

If self-sustaining gyms take off in the office environment, they could reroute workforce energy to feed the business, not just the gym! Certainly something to think about.

Contact the CH Systems team on 0208 302 8149 or info@chsystems.cc if you have any energy queries relating to your home or business, feel.

Source: Britishgas.co.uk – “Worlplace workouts: Self-powering gym workstations”