AET supports Call Centres

Over 600 new Call Centres

Many issues are appearing. A notable factor is the proliferation of telephony and IT equipment in call centres. This is creating unusually high levels of radiant heat and it has been estimated that the average heat load of a call centre is between 100 and 150 watts per sq. metre. Given these cooling demands, conventional ceiling and floor displacement air-conditioning systems are proving demonstrably unable to provide staff with a comfortable working environment.

Bletchingley-based AET (Advanced Ergonomic Technologies) are addressing these needs through the unique Hiross system of underfloor air-conditioning. The Hiross flexible space system uses the building’s underfloor void as a supply and return air plenum. The air is drawn up into the occupied space via floor-recessed Fantiles with individual remote control for maximum user satisfaction. The system offers users major benefits: in particular individual control, high air quality and lifetime cost-saving potential. It is now common to see traditional displacement air-conditioning systems in call centres failing to provide adequate cooling and being supplemented by temporary units which simply add to disruption, clutter and bring unwelcome extra costs.

Need to Reconfigure

By contrast, using the Hiross system, reconfiguration to suit changing office layouts is easily accomplished as the floor-recessed air supply units are completely interchangeable with floor panels. They simply plug into the underfloor power source via flexible power leads and are connected back to the building management system via data bus links. The flexibility of the Hiross system in this regard is one of its many attractions. Changes can very often be made in a matter of minutes and with little or no cost.

Flexible Space Experience

The media floor in Bloomberg's, Citygate House building in London’s Finsbury Square has a power load of 90 watts per square metre and is packed with leading-edge computer hardware for digital broadcasting.

Current installations include the Bloomberg building in London. Bloomberg are a leading news gathering and broadcasting company, operating a call centre at Citygate House which disseminates real time financial and news information via the Bloomberg Terminal. 1,550 sq. ms. of FlexibleSpace air-conditioning have recently been installed in 12 zones as a supplement to an original order of 3,000 sq. ms. which proved successful in optimizing staff comfort.

As with other call centres, the media floor at Bloomberg is packed with computer and telephonic hardware. In the digital broadcasting areas, power loads are in excess of 200 watts per sq. m. Each floor area has been divided into zones which are supplied with conditioned air by a CAM unit. The underfloor void is divided into supply and return air channels using relocatable air-tight baffles and the supply air is drawn up into the occupied space by fan assisted terminal units or ‘Fantiles.’

Instant Reservations

	The first of four new call centres being installed for Belgacom. The call centres handle telephone calls for customer services, billing and client accounts.

AET’s European track record with call centres is similarly impressive. Applications at call centres in the banking sector feature installations in Lugano, Switzerland, while use of the Hiross system in European travel call centres includes the SAS building near Stockholm Airport. Successful installations in the UK for British Telecom are paralleled by projects for the Belgian national telephone exchange, Belgercom, who have used FlexibleSpace at three call centres in Brussels.

A notable trend here stems from the development of compact electrical telephone exchanges with high staff numbers in confined spaces and the disposal of outdated and cumbersome mechanical exchanges. By successfully addressing the ergonomic needs of telephone operatives, AET are allowing telephone companies both in the UK and Europe to rationalize their property portfolios and maximise the working comfort of personnel.

Personal Control of your environment