A recent YouGov survey has revealed that hot workplaces can affect workers' health, productivity and challenge attempts at reducing CO₂ levels.
The survey, commissioned by under floor heating and cooling specialist Warmafloor, found that workers feel less productive in a warm environment. With 65% of those questioned admitting to being up to 50% less productive in a hot room, many explained this was due to the heat creating drowsiness (67%), a loss of concentration (56%) and irritation of the eyes, nose and throat (21%).

With this summer forecast as one of the warmest on record, 71% of the workers surveyed said that their workplace is regularly too hot or too cold to work to their peak performance already, so employers have a greater need than ever to keep their employees happy while trying to keep energy costs down.

Despite government pressure to reduce CO₂ levels, almost all of the respondents said in a hot office environment they would have to open a window (68%), turn on a fan (51%) or turn up the air conditioning (30%) which may override existing systems to cut down on energy consumption and cause yet more energy expenditure and increase CO₂ levels.