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Most women find themselves having to wear sweaters or wrap themselves in blankets in the workplace despite outdoor temperatures rising to 38°C. And recent research shows that this is not just a thought but the reality that these rooms are too cold.
1. Office Air Conditioning Chills Women
While many women try everything to combat the cold from office air conditioning, men seem unaffected. According to scientists, men feel comfortable in office air conditioning because this formula was established for them 50 years ago.
A 2016 study published in the journal Nature Climate Change revealed that building temperatures were calculated in the 1960s based on a 40-year-old man weighing 70kg.
Over half a century later, the workforce has undergone many changes, but office air conditioning temperatures remain the same.
Nowadays, more than half of office employees are women, and they often have to bring blankets to avoid shivering while working.
A recent study shows that women are comfortable at 25°C compared to men at 22°C.
'Women have a lower metabolism rate, so they also expend energy more slowly. They feel less hot than men, so their bodies are usually cooler,' said Dr. Devi Nampiaparampil from NYU School of Medicine, as reported by Today.
Furthermore, the summer heat often leads women to choose cooler clothing such as dresses, leaving their arms and legs feeling chilly. Meanwhile, men stick to trousers and short/long-sleeved shirts.
A study published in The New York Times found that women working in temperatures of 20-22°C make more errors and are less efficient compared to working in rooms with temperatures of 23.5-24.5°C.
Other benefits of increasing air conditioning temperatures include cost savings. According to calculations by the US Department of Energy, increasing temperatures from 22°C to 24.5°C can save 11% on electricity bills. Every degree increase above 25.5°C saves an additional 2%, while each degree decrease below 25.5°C increases costs by 6%.
Another suggestion to save on electricity bills is to regularly clean the filters of your air conditioner (saving 15%) and turn off the standby mode of electrical appliances.
