How to Optimise Your Building For Low Occupancy

October 15th, 2021

Last updated: October 12th, 2022

A huge number of commercial buildings are now at a much lower occupancy than they may have been a few years ago, presenting a challenge for those tasked with maintaining them.

If you are able to optimise a building with low occupancy properly then you are likely to save on repairs, wear and tear, and even the costs of running equipment like a commercial boiler. However, get things wrong, and you could be haemorrhaging money while you fail to make the most of your space.

Let’s dive into some of the top tips for optimisation.

Make Your Employees Comfortable

With fewer people in the workplace, it may get colder. Alternatively, in hotter weather conditions, some areas of the building may be cooler and offer an advantage to employees.

Depending on the local temperature you can use blinds and windows to your advantage to either make the most of the sunlight or block it out. Facility managers can alter this more easily in a building that isn’t full, and it can reduce HVAC demands.

Manage Amenities and Power Usage

There is no point in wasting power in areas that are not occupied. Even when practicing social distancing, it makes sense to try and close off areas of space so that you don’t have to worry about heating or cooling them.

Cleverly managing the space in your office as the occupancy drops can take the strain off your commercial boiler and reduce costs.

Monitor the Humidity and HVAC System

Low occupancy can increase the risk of moisture and mould building up. If you exceed 70% relative humidity, then you may end up with complications. There are also times when the humidity might drop to low levels, especially when the air conditioning is on. This can lead to a dry, scratchy throat and other issues for employees.

So, it is vital to monitor and manage, or even dehumidify certain spaces in the building. Your HVAC system can be optimised for enhanced ventilation and better control of the temperature with fewer people in the workplace.

Clean Smart

With less of the workplace in use, cleaning demands can potentially be reduced, but you need to be cautious. Sectioning off areas of the building can allow you to put a more rigorous cleaning schedule in place for high-traffic areas and save time on cleaning lesser-used areas.

Upgrade While You are at Low Occupancy

If you have the luxury of not using all of the space in your premises, it can be the perfect time to look at your facilities and make upgrades or carry out repairs, which can improve the efficiency and quality of your workspace in the long run.

If you have any questions about running a building with lower occupancy and what this means for your HVAC and other facilities, contact Robinsons Facilities Services. We can discuss both planned preventive maintenance and how to optimise systems to operate at the highest efficiency even with fewer staff.

Working across Yorkshire, we cover North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, East Yorkshire and South Yorkshire and offer a fast, efficient response time to all breakdowns and repairs. Contact us today for all planned, reactive maintenance or emergency call out.