Opening doors and windows

The trend to leaving doors and windows open in dining areas to create an 'al fresco' feel, is creating a number of problems affecting the comfort of hotel patrons.

• Open windows mean a big increase in the heat that has to be removed by the air conditioner. An air conditioner that is comfortable when it is 37 degrees outside, is likely to struggle in the low thirties if the windows are open. Thus I recommend a larger air conditioner than you would otherwise need. Even so, don't expect to be able to have the windows open all the time. There will still be many hours each year when you need to close them.
• As well as requiring extra capacity, open windows increase the temperature variation across a space, particularly if the wind is blowing in, thus reducing comfort.
• Having opening windows can dramatically increase the energy use of the air conditioner. This is because the higher heat load tells the compressor to run for many more hours. This increase can be minimised if the air conditioner is turned off in mild conditions when the windows are open, however this requires constant attention by your busy staff.