The cost of heating and cooling an office space can be a heavy burden for a business, especially in warmer climates where summer temperatures can easily top 100 degrees Fahrenheit—or 37 degrees Celsius in Europe, which is where a recent study about low cost cooling techniques was published.

The research, which you can read in its entirety by clicking here (PDF), was funded by the Air Infiltration and Ventilation Centre at CzechTechnicalUniversity in Prague. The scientists sought to observe how effective low energy cooling techniques were for retrofitted offices in Central Europe by using climate analytics and simulations.

In the locations where they gathered data, office spaces accounted for approximately half of the total energy consumption in the region, and office buildings spent as much as 10% of their total energy consumption on cooling alone.

Researchers chose the CzechRepublic as the focus of their study because a growing number of office buildings which have never before used cooling systems are now installing full air conditioning units in light of warmer temperatures and desire for comfort. This trend comes at a time when the country is trying to lower its overall CO2 emission and energy consumption.

After analyzing the effect of three low energy cooling techniques—ventilation, evaporative cooling, and ceiling panels—and the relative comfort levels of the temperature inside the office, the scientists found that “all three low energy cooling strategies help to improve the indoor thermal comfort in the office.” In fact, the simulation showed an occasional overcooling of the office—a much welcomed problem for businesses in warm climates.

The researchers also advised adding blinds to sun-targeted windows to enhance these cooling strategies.

These finding may be interesting, but why should we care about low energy cooling techniques for office buildings in the Czech Republic?

 The answer is that energy savings works everywhere. The fact that this particular study was done in Central Europe does not limit the impact of the findings to that region alone. By retrofitting offices in and around Atlanta in the same way—adequate ventilation, evaporative cooling, ceiling panels, window shades—businesses here could experience similar low energy consumption, and in turn, lower energy bills.

That’s the kind of good news that is welcomed in any country.

Find out how you can lower your office energy bill. Contact a Gagne professional to schedule your heating and cooling load calculation today.