Employees sweat it out in absence of central air-conditioning in offices

Private firms that are inching towards resuming operations after almost a 40-day hiatus are not only finding it difficult to contend with the new social distancing

Private firms that are inching towards resuming operations after almost a 40-day hiatus are not only finding it difficult to contend with the new social distancing norms but also face the spectre of having to sit in swanky offices without central air-conditioning (AC). Building managers are apprehensive that the use of central AC systems could lead to the spread of Covid-19 infection among the workers.

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The same was stated in the standard operating procedure (SOP) released last week, with companies and industrial units told to use window/split AC units, which has compounded the matter. The result is that many office-goers in the city are confronted with the option of either returning home or sweating it out in the closed confines of their offices.

In one such commercial building on Sohna Road, which has close to 2,000 small offices, the corporate executives are facing problems as the building manager has decided not to run the AC. “I don’t know what are the norms but these buildings have no ventilation and without central AC, are impossible to work in. We have been sweating continuously over the last two days,” said a corporate executive, requesting anonymity.

The executive said that although the limited staff strength in around 60 offices in the building have resumed work, stale air is a major concern.

Saurabh Kumar, a branch manager of GIC housing finance, whose office is located in a commercial building on MG Road that also has retail shops, said that the mall management had declined to switch on the central AC last week. However, after much deliberation, they decided to start it on Monday. “Until last week, the mall management had declined to start the central AC system. If the situation had not changed we were planning on alternative measures, such as purchasing portable coolers and table fans,” said Kumar.

Some private firms said that they are working in tandem with building managers and ensuring that indoor spaces are disinfected and cleaned, and social distancing is maintained. “The AC is a cause of concern as there is a notion that it might spread the coronavirus, but we are taking all precautions. If a need arises, measures for ventilation and exhaust of stale air would be added,” said Dharmendra Jha, who runs a large office building on Sohna Road.

The issue of central AC system is not limited to private offices, with even government offices, such as the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG), facing issues.

At the MCG office in Sector 34, the central AC system has been made non-operational. However, the effect of its absence is mixed. While officials working out of the first and second floor have no access to ACs or fans, bureaucrats and officials in the planning branch, located on the third floor, have split ACs at their respective offices.

On the first floor of the MCG office is the taxation and legal branches, Swachh Bharat Mission, Geographic Information System (GIS) lab, and Citizen Facilitation Centre (CFC). The engineering, accounts, establishment and audit branches are based on the second floor.

“We do not have a single outlet for ventilation. It is next to impossible for us to work in this heat. After every hour or so, we step outside for a few minutes to get some fresh air and respite, and then return to work,” an MCG official said on the condition of anonymity.

“We have closed the central air-conditioning system in the interim, as it carries air across all corners of the office space and thus, holds a great possibility of transmitting infections. Amid the coronavirus outbreak, the safety of our officials and those visiting the MCG office is of top priority,” said Vinay Pratap Singh, commissioner, MCG.

To meet the challenging situation, experts suggest that building managers in the city will have to specifically address concerns related to air quality, humidity and ventilation. They suggest that apart from ensuring social distancing and disinfecting the office space, there is need to control indoor temperature, air quality and humidity.

Mansoor Ali, an air quality expert, said that the building managers must ensure that temperature inside the office remains between 24 to 30 degrees. “Research across the world suggests that maintaining this temperature inhibits the conditions for the spread of Covid-19. Although there would be some discomfort to people inside, this has to be done to prevent the spread,” he said.

As India’s humidity level is on the higher side, it is also important that humidity levels inside the buildings need to monitored, as there is little or no scope for natural ventilation. “It is important that same air is not recirculated inside the buildings and adequate ventilation systems are installed to ensure fresh air enters the premises,” said HP Yadav, MD, Paltecch Cooling Systems, a Gurugram-based firm.

Ali said that viruses thrive at higher humidities and the ideal humidity in an office should be between 40 and 60 RH (relative humidity). “If the humidity is high, we need to introduce dehumidification so that it remains under check,” he said, adding that air-filtration systems for AC plants need to be checked and cleaned so that the spread of the virus can be checked.

KV Suresh, a Delhi-based air-conditioning expert, however, said that there was a lot of ambiguity about the situation, and conclusive advice from specialists and virologists was yet to come. “At present, neither the health experts nor air-conditioning experts have got a hang of the situation,” he said.

Dhruv Chaudhary, head of department of pulmonary and critical care at PGIMS, Rohtak, said that central ACs leads to re-circulation of air, and this increases the chance of spreading coronavirus in indoor spaces. “HEPA filters can be installed at AC vents, as these acts as anti-flu filters and prevent the spread of virus,” he said.