When writing this blog, the Met Office has issued a Red Extreme Heat warning across parts of England and Wales, with temperatures expected to peak on several days. Dew points are forecast to reach around 22 degrees, making this heatwave more oppressive than the record-breaking July 2022 event!
If your employees are sitting in an office, workshop, or commercial premises in Devon right now with no air conditioning, you already know the answer to the question of how productive they are. The answer is: considerably less than usual, and getting less so as the week progresses.
The business case for air conditioning does not need a heatwave to make sense. But a Red warning in June does make it feel rather more urgent.
Find out more about our air conditioning services here
What happens to productivity in a hot office
The research on heat and workplace performance is consistent and not particularly encouraging for business owners without climate control. Cognitive performance starts declining measurably at office temperatures above 24 degrees. At 30 degrees, complex task performance falls by around 20%. At 33 degrees, error rates in manual and cognitive tasks rise significantly.
This week’s forecast temperatures across Devon and the South West will push offices without air conditioning well beyond those thresholds. Overnight temperatures will remain very high, with widespread tropical nights where the temperature does not drop below 20 degrees, making it hard for people to recover from the daytime heat. Employees arriving having barely slept, in an office that has had no overnight cooldown, face a day that is difficult for anyone to work effectively through. M&E Contrax
This is not a comfort issue. It is a performance issue, and it has a straightforward solution.
Air conditioning: not just for summer
A well-specified commercial air conditioning system does more than cool your office in a heatwave. It provides:
Cooling in summer. The obvious one. A properly sized system keeps your workspace at a consistent temperature regardless of what is happening outside. Your employees stay comfortable, focused, and effective.
Heating in winter. Modern split system air conditioning units operate as heat pumps. They can heat your office in winter at around three to four times the efficiency of a conventional electric heater, which reduces heating costs significantly compared with old storage heaters or portable electric heating.
Dehumidification. High humidity is the reason this week’s heatwave feels so much worse than previous ones. The combination of heat and humidity reduces the body’s ability to cool itself through sweating, exacerbating the health impacts. Air conditioning removes moisture from the air as it cools, which makes a significant difference to comfort levels even before the temperature changes. M&E Contrax
Air quality. Commercial air conditioning systems filter circulating air, removing dust, pollen, and particulates. For employees with allergies or respiratory conditions, this matters year-round.
What a commercial air conditioning installation involves
This is often the question that holds businesses back. The assumption is that it means days of disruption, scaffolding, and a closed office.
For most commercial premises, a wall-mounted split system installation involves:
One outdoor condenser unit, mounted on an external wall or flat roof. One or more indoor units, mounted high on an interior wall. Refrigerant pipework running between them through a small penetration in the wall. Electrical connection to your supply.
For a single office or small open-plan space, the installation typically takes one day. For a larger multi-room or multi-floor premises, we carry out a survey, design the system around your layout, and schedule the installation in sections to keep disruption to a minimum.
We carry out all the electrical work with our own in-house NICEIC-approved engineers. You do not need a separate electrician. You do not need to co-ordinate multiple contractors. One team, one visit, one system commissioned and handed over.
The right time to act is now
Heatwaves in Devon are no longer a once-a-decade event. Unlike previous heatwaves, elevated humidity levels are making conditions increasingly oppressive and dangerous. A system installed this month will be earning its keep before the end of the week, and will still be reducing your heating costs when winter arrives. M&E Contrax
Lead times for equipment vary. We will be honest with you at the survey stage about how quickly we can have a system in. For smaller installations and standard system sizes, we can often move faster than you might expect.
Book a free air conditioning quote for your Devon business or call us for a free quote straight away on 01364 654271
M&E Contrax | NICEIC Approved | Newton Abbot, Devon | Serving Torbay, Exeter, South Hams, Plymouth and the South West
Published June 2026.
Written by David Moore, M&E Installations Manager, M&E Contrax. Last reviewed: June 2026.
About David Moore | M&E Contrax EICR Engineer
David Moore is M&E Installations Manager at M&E Contrax, with 20 years of experience in mechanical and electrical installation. He holds City and Guilds 2391-52 Electrical Inspection and Testing (the qualification required under the October 2026 EAS update), NVQ Level 3 in Electrotechnical Services, BS 7671 18th Edition (IET Wiring Regulations), City and Guilds 2921 EV Charging Installation, EAL Level 3 Award in Solar PV Installation, and SMSTS Site Management Safety Training.
He is responsible for the planning, specification, and delivery of M&E installations across all M&E Contrax projects and carries out EICR testing across Devon.
