Now that the summer season is upon us, Old Man Winter is officially taking a break. (Fingers crossed.) While the reprieve from freezing temperatures and snowy streets can be welcomed, it also means a change in how we manage our indoor environments for employees, guests, students, etc. Whether your building has central air conditioning or not, here are five tips for keeping your cool this summer without breaking the bank. 

Bring the Outside Air In

If you have a ventilation system, ensure you’re “flushing” the indoor air at night and replacing it with cooler fresh air. No ventilation system, no problem. Open some windows or dock doors and create a cross-breeze in the facility. Just try to avoid doing this during the heat of the day, or you’ll end up creating an even warmer space. 

Breeze Through Summer

Mother Nature can’t be relied on for consistent breezes. Fortunately, our ingenious ancestors determined an efficient method for manmade breezes: the fan. Install circulator fans on the ceiling, column or floor, and enjoy the evaporative cooling effect their breezes create. Just remember to shut them off when the building is unoccupied; fans cool people, not rooms! 

Dress the Part

Summer is the season to turn casual Friday into casual weekday. Reducing your clothing insulation level, aka swapping pants for shorts, is just as effective as dropping the temperature by several degrees. And, it’s a great way to ensure you’ll stop skipping leg day. 

Throw Some Shade

The Sun is great for a lot of things. Vitamin C. Daylight. Solar energy. Unfortunately, though, it does this thing where it heats our buildings when we’re trying to stay cool. Drop the shades or blinds in the summer (and do the opposite in the winter), and you’ll prevent much of the warming effect the sun can have on your interior. 

Set Up Hydration Stations

Make sure there are plenty of fluids available to the building occupants. Our body is built with a natural air-conditioner; when we get hot, we sweat, and the evaporation of our sweat cools the skin (and the entire body). It’s important to replace those fluids regularly so we can keep on perspiring!