Mike Elver, national accounts sector manager at Andrews Sykes Hire, discusses the need for students at schools to keep their cool – especially when it comes to taking examinations.
The summer I spent sitting in a humid exam hall poring over A-level exam papers is, mercifully, a distant memory. But the hall is probably still there - and chances are it will be just as hot, stuffy and inhospitable for this year's crop of school leavers.

While the government is making a huge investment in updating school buildings, the
reality is that few schools are fortunate enough to have air conditioning. It is rarely seen as a priority, even as part of a rebuilding programme.

Realistically, one might argue, why should it be? The British climate means an air-conditioning system in a school would be redundant for most of the year.

Schools are on their summer break during the hottest months, so an investment in an installed
air-conditioning system seems ridiculous, compared with the need to buy essentials, such as books and computers.

Greenhouse effect

But the fact remains that schools do suffer from a greenhouse effect of their own. May, June - and even September - can prove just as sweltering as July and August. Older school buildings often have dreadful thermal performance, exposing students and teachers to indoor temperatures much higher than those outdoors.

The trend for large, glazed facades in new builds means these schools can be just as problematic.

It is an issue that has been raised by the National Union of Teachers, with members lobbying for a maximum permissible temperature on health and safety grounds. They certainly have a point. Health and safety legislation already stipulates that classrooms should not operate in temperatures below 18°C, and sports halls should have a temperature of at least 15°C. But there is no designated temperature at which it is considered too hot to continue teaching.

Think back to last summer's relentless rain and you may wonder what all the fuss was about.

Cast your mind back a little further, to the weeks and weeks of hot weather in 2006, and the problem really comes into focus. Certainly, anyone who took exams that year will recall how hot it was. Teachers will tell you that a hot environment not only makes everyone feel irritable and uncomfortable, but can also affect concentration and, ultimately, performance.

Clearly, in a school environment - especially during exams - the discomfort and distraction of an unpleasantly hot classroom is unacceptable.

What many schools do not realise is that air conditioning hire could provide a fast, flexible and cost-effective solution which could help maintain grades, deliver a safer school environment and safeguard the sanity of teachers.

Unit hire allows a school to put in place air conditioning without capital outlay. What is more, many models have an A energy rating, making them cheap to run too. This makes it an attractive option, even in comparison with a portable unit from a DIY store.

Storage space

Hired units also provide much greater cooling benefits than off-the-shelf portable units
and, because every unit is electrically tested and cleaned before delivery, they are safer and more reliable too.

On a practical level, the school does not need to allocate storage space as the units will only be on site for as long as they are needed. They also offer a completely flexible solution, with units
supplied on wheels so that they can be moved.

By consulting an HVAC hire specialist, schools can also ensure that they put in place the most appropriate cooling equipment for their needs. Split systems usually provide the most suitable solution in an education environment.

These systems enable the school to keep doors and windows shut, which minimises disruption from external noise - this is an important consideration during exam times.

For bigger sports halls, often the venue for exams with large numbers of candidates, it may be more appropriate to use industrial fans than air-conditioning units. Once again, the advantage of going to an HVAC hire specialist is that they can recommend the kit that is most suitable for the room in question.


Exam stress

Teenagers across the country have already begun revising in preparation for the exams ahead, while younger children are experiencing their first taste of exam stress as they await their SATS tests.

They are all hoping they can keep their cool when they hear the words 'you may begin'. Hopefully their schools can too.