Aircon in offices can afford to be less cold, but dressing down not always possible
Office workers cross a street in Singapore's central business district. Photo: Reuters
Readers responded to the letter, “Dress right for Singapore’s tropical weather to help reduce greenhouse gases emitted by air-conditioners” (Oct 29), agreeing with the writer that offices can be too cold and there is room to lower energy consumption. Others said, however, that formal wear at work cannot be ditched entirely.
Most offices are likely a refrigerator. LIM ANDREW
The temperature in our shopping malls and office buildings need to be adjusted, that's for sure. JENNIFER LEE
It’s 17°C in my office. I have to wear a winter coat. MAUREEN MCFERSON HADDEN
The real culprit? The arctic temperature in most of the offices are intended to protect the IT equipment from overheating. ALVIN NEO
Agree that some offices make it feel like winter time. However, I also know of some colleagues who perspire easily if the aircon is not cold enough. And when that happens, the ‘smell’ starts to ‘come out’. BROWN WONG
Think it also depends on the number of people present. I find 26°C is more than cooling enough for me most days (aircon at home), but on hot days, 24-25°C is much better. COLETTE LIM
A temperature of 26-28°C is quite comfy when you are in polo tee and pants. Might take a while to adjust to it, but after that, it's good. FRANKY FRANK LEE
I think a neat polo or short-sleeve shirt with business pants should suffice. Stay practical… We still need aircon, to be honest. But instead of blasting at low temperatures, where some offices go as low as 20°C, perhaps we can adjust to around 26°C or so, and at the same time, dress light. Adjusting a few degrees higher can make a lot of difference. PAUL HOE
The optimum temperature for productivity is 23-24°C. Heat causes lethargy. Save the environment if you must, but you can't ignore this. As for "formal" attire... it originated in the West... We just assumed that's an international standard and followed. ANDREW LEE
I totally agree. Like how Indonesians can wear batik for formal events, we should not be tied blindly to western norms and should adapt accordingly. JUN CAI
Like someone has pointed out, batik or Chinese silk is formal and comfortable. Why wear suit and tie that is so uncomfortable? KP TAN
Are you assuming that the person who dresses appropriately for the weather has any control over the thermostat settings of the aircon? LEE KEE SENG
People who choose formal wear do so because of etiquette, not office temperature. Office culture in Singapore has evolved such that many companies allow their staff members to dress down. Should we increase our office temperature beyond 25°C like many environmentalists advocate? That depends on whether everyone can take the heat or stuffiness. I admit I cannot. It's easy for people to wear sweaters when they're cold, but there's a limit to how much one can undress when the ambient temperature is warm. Shall we abandon our modern comforts in order to save the environment? There are plenty of things to give up in order to do that, but jacking up the office temperature is not high on the list. There's this issue of overusing plastic bags, over-packaging of food, food wastage etc that we can give up without losing the perks of the modern lifestyle. Get the low-hanging fruits first. ZENOV YAP
I was mocked for wearing a suit in my first trip to Singapore for business. In the subsequent trips, I stuck to polo shirt and dress pants. ALLAN STEPHENS
Frankly speaking, I'd love to wear polo T-shirt and bermudas when I carry out construction-site inspections. GEORGE KIM W K
Wearing long-sleeve shirt at work is because we're required to as part of the company's policy for office attire. PATRICK WU
Not all companies practise this policy. I've worked in companies with a relaxed dress code. Even the vice-presidents, marketing managers go to work in either casual or smart-casual wear. Formal work attire is quickly losing its touch. Many companies are now moving towards a relaxed work and dress culture. FADLY AZAD
Wear short pants and T-shirt to sell insurance or wear pyjamas to sell medical products — do you think you can sell or anyone will respect the business? FRANCIS ALAN
How do you balance professionalism and practicality? People dress formally to look and feel professional, like they’re dealing in important business with colleagues and foreign delegates. ALFRED ONG
*Comments were first posted on TODAY's Facebook page and are edited for language and clarity.
