Temporary Ventilation Solution Keeps Office Open During Air Conditioning Upgrades

Project Overview

During the peak of summer, RVT Group Sale’s Office faced a critical challenge when the air conditioning system had to be turned off while it underwent significant upgrades.

With approximately 50 employees based at the Riverbridge House office in Dartford, and the air conditioning out of use from August to December 2023, a temporary solution was imperative to sustain comfortable working temperatures and prioritise the well-being and satisfaction of employees throughout this period.

Challenge

Amidst a bustling summer season, ensuring uninterrupted operations at the newest Sales office was paramount. However, this task grew more difficult as Riverbridge House underwent an air conditioning system upgrade, leaving the RVT Office without cooling for several months while transitioning from a centralised to a split air conditioning system.

Without air conditioning, the office was at risk of reaching uncomfortably high temperatures. This made working conditions increasingly difficult and, if left to continue, could put staff at risk of dehydration, heat stroke and other health concerns. If a solution was not found, employees would need to be sent home.

RVT needed to find a solution that would sustain office functionality and foster a conducive environment for the collaboration and productivity that thrives during the usual, ambient temperatures.

Solution

To address the air conditioning challenges, RVT put their own kit to the test and implemented a comprehensive solution. It would be very difficult and expensive to create a temporary air conditioned environment for the whole office area, so a DUSTEX^® Aire Guardian containment unit was utilised to create a smaller, contained workspace inside the uncomfortably warm office. This containment unit fully sealed off the area against the walls and the ceiling, had a door for workers to enter and exit, and created an area big enough to comfortably fit 50 desks and employees.

The containment unit has a vent that a VENTEX^® Axial 300P Fan was connected to, this small but powerful fan introduced fresh air from outside through an extended ducting system, and created a positive pressure ventilation airlock inside the newly contained work area. Positive pressure
is created when air is forced into a contained area faster than it can leave. This increased the pressure (weight) of the air inside the temporary office space. As the air inside the containment unit was heavier than the air outside, it ensured that warm air from outside could not enter the temporary work space and the area remained cool.

By integrating temporary air conditioning units as part of this controlled environment, we effectively established a sealed and secure space where cool air was contained, and hot air could not enter. We also used MONITEX^® Temperature and Relative Humidity monitors to effectively observe conditions in the newly cooled workspace and ensure ambient temperature levels were maintained.