Due to the impact of COVID-19, over eight million people in the UK worked from home at some point during the year 2020 – an increase of 12.4 per cent compared to 2019.

The increasing time spent at home in the summer, and especially among office workers, has also meant more time spent working in hot uncomfortable temperatures. Whereas air conditioning is relatively common in offices, only a small percentage of homes have air conditioning. The new tado° study shows that in the summer of 2020, Brits spent an average of seven hours a week in temperatures of 25°C and above.

In addition to discomfort, a hot indoor climate of 25°C and above can lead to a decrease in productivity. British office temperatures are typically set between 20°C and 22°C. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends 24°C as the maximum temperature for working in comfort. One of the UK’s largest trade unions, Unison, recommends that employers should attempt to reduce temperatures if they rise above 24°C.

“The recent shift in working patterns has brought to light the need for a productive workspace at home,” says tado° co-founder and CPO, Christian Deilmann. “Home temperatures should be in a comfortable range rather than a distraction or hindrance. To achieve this, an increasing number of people are purchasing ACs.” 

In 2017, fewer than 5% of European households had air conditioning, but air conditioning sales in Europe have continued since then. In the past, mostly Mediterranean countries had a need for air conditioning in homes. In recent years, however, increasingly hot summers have occurred frequently throughout Europe, and many countries broke historical temperature records. The International Energy Agency predicts the demand for air conditioning will double in the next 20 years. The increased popularity of home office will also add to further demand for air conditioning at home.