We have things like the Value Toolkit coming out of The Construction Innovation Hub.

Social distancing measures will help reduce internal heat gain, as there will be fewer people using fewer computers in each office.Blinds on the windows can help to reduce heat gain from the sun.

And making sure that the lighting controls are working properly can reduce the lighting load (which also creates heat) during bright days..Desk fans help to reduce the perceived temperature by around 2. o.C, but the additional air movement increases the risk of particle movement.

So desk fans are not recommended, except in rooms with good airflow and high air changes.A simple, but effective, approach might well be just to have a relaxed dress code.

That way, people can dress according to how warm they feel, which will make them more comfortable, and more productive as a result.. What can building occupiers do for both the environment and energy efficiency?.

Our dynamic thermal simulation enables a data-driven approach which we can use to predict internal temperatures, air flow and occupant comfort in existing offices.Many of these issues can be mitigated simply through good design, and, in our experience, layouts need to be detailed earlier than a new-build project.

Capacity modelling may also be necessary to better forecast the amount of equipment, benching, storage, desks, lockers, etc.over the long-run.. Capacity model for a biopharma QC lab showing utilisation of individual equipment items over time.. 2.

Height.. Limited headroom in existing offices may be insufficient for taller lab equipment or increased services distribution.. An ideal starting-point for a lab is a floor-to-floor height between 4.2 and 4.5m, with an office typically being in the 3.6 to 4.2m range.. Taller items such as fume cabinets and MBSCs can normally be accommodated under a 2.7m high ceiling (similar to what you might find in a modern office), however some specialist or larger-scale equipment will require additional headroom or maintenance and withdrawal space, and localised raised ceilings may be necessary, or the equipment simply might not fit.. Labs require many more services than an office, which normally means a deeper ceiling void.Limited risers in offices can also result in more service crossovers and congestion, increasing this depth further still.