Commercial & Industrial
Air Conditioning.

Turns out it’s not just about pleasing fussy people.

The people at Harvard have been studying how to make healthier buildings for over 40 years. They list temperature as one of the nine foundations of a healthy building. Temperature often compounds other indoor environmental problems—for example, high temperatures increase building material off-gassing, releasing irritating and toxic chemicals, like volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air.

Many people only consider temperature in terms of comfort, but it also directly affects productivity. If your temperature is outside the optimal range of 20–26°C (68–79°F), for every 0.5°C (1°F) away from comfort, productivity decreases by 2%. So, for every degree away from comfort, if you take the average Canadian hourly wage, then a 2% drop in productivity can cost a business $4,200/year/person.

Short answer? It all depends on your needs!

For example, our customers’ spaces range from commercial offices to hot yoga studios—all the way to customers whose entire food production area is a massive walk-in cooler!

That said, the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), Standard 55-2013 suggests maintaining an indoor temperature of 20 – 26°C (68–79°F). Preferences vary, but this range tends to be most comfortable, with 23°C (74°F) as a happy medium for most. Every space in your building should ideally be comfortable and properly balanced so you don’t find spots where it’s too cold, drafty, or too hot.

We also recommend setting seasonally-specific temperatures. Adjusting to seasonal climates reduces utility costs and is often more comfortable than jarring indoor/outdoor temperature swings.

In the winter, aim for 20–24°C (68–75°F) and in the summer, aim for 24–27°C (75–81°F).

We install and service all of the following—and more!

Air conditioning systems:

• Central heating and air conditioning systems
• Chilled water systems
• Energy efficient systems for lower operating costs
• Heat recovery ventilation systems (HRVs)
• Industrial & commercial grade de/humidification systems
• Split and multi-split systems (including ductless options)

Monitoring systems:

• Building Automation Systems (BAS)
• Digital control systems
• Gas & leak detection systems for refrigerants

Air conditioning units and components:

• Air handling units (AHUs), including
  • Makeup Air Units (MAUs)
  • Rooftop units (RTUs)
• Boilers
• Chillers
• Compressors and compressor rebuilds
• Condensers
• Cooling towers
• Ductwork and air movement systems
• Evaporators

HVAC adjustments to improve comfort and temperature consistency, such as:

• Adding HVAC controls
• Changing HVAC zoning (relocating and adding thermostats)
• Adjusting thermostats and air flow (air balance, dampers, ducting)

Pssst: Don’t see the item you’re looking for here? This is only some of the air conditioning equipment we routinely install and service. Get in touch today to learn how we can help with yours!

We sure can!

Improving indoor air quality can improve occupant health and experience—in addition to performance and productivity. Better air quality can even lower absenteeism and turnover, while boosting your bottom line.

As a full-service HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) company, our indoor air quality experts can help you enhance your occupants’ safety and experience in your building, facility, or space.

Our indoor air quality offerings include:

• Our FREE article Indoor Air Quality: Everything You Need to Know and More
• A FREE online self-assessment tool with personalized recommendations for you
• Additional resources for businesses and those managing facilities, buildings, and spaces:
  • FREE 15-minute no-obligation indoor air quality consultations for businesses
  • Indoor air quality testing
  • An Air Quality Awards program for eligible businesses to publicly demonstrate your air quality leadership

Navigating refrigerant options can be daunting. Our goal is to keep it simple for you. For decades we’ve created systems that are cost-effective, energy-efficient, durable, and easily serviceable.

We’re proficient with all refrigerants from CO₂ to R404A. We can even help with R22 (freon) retrofits if you’re ready to convert your equipment to a more sustainable and economically viable option.

Most importantly, we’ll work with you to understand your needs and recommend options that work for you.

By using better components, our systems operate more efficiently—which pays off in energy savings, component lifecycle, and carbon footprint. Retrofitting or modifying existing systems can reduce your energy bills. There may even be rebates available in your area for businesses reducing their energy emissions.

Did you know air conditioning alone accounts for roughly 8.5% of worldwide electricity use? Canada has higher and lower temperature extremes than most countries, so our buildings have to compensate for those extremes. That’s just one reason why energy accounts for 82% of Canada’s total emissions.

We all love saving money, and that’s even more satisfying when investments contribute to a sustainable future.

Here’s some quick tips:

1. Make sure your thermostats are in the right locations
2. If possible, keep unnecessary lights off and blinds and windows closed, when your air conditioning is running
3. Manage your humidity
4. Only use air conditioning when necessary
5. Maintain your air conditioning unit

For more information about these tips, visit our blog for 5 Easy Tips to Save Money on your Air Conditioning Bill.

Short version: aim for 40–50% relative humidity—provided that it works in your system and your climate. 

Want to know how we arrived at that number? As far as the upper limit, studies show elevated humidity worsens perceptions of indoor air quality. Relative humidity levels >65% also promote growth for mold, microbes, and pests like dust mites.

According to the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE; Standards 55-2013 and 62-2016), there aren’t established lower humidity limits for thermal comfort.

However, ideal relative humidity levels for indoor comfort tend to fall in a range of 30–50%.

At a minimum, the National Library of Medicine suggests a humidity of at least 40% helps your eyes, skin, airways—and helps you fight bacterial and viral infections. That humidity balance boosts your immunity against biological contaminants—such as bacteria and viruses. Further to that, a recent study even showed the novel coronavirus/COVID-19 deactivates fastest on surfaces at 50% relative humidity.

Not sure if your humidity settings are right for your system and climate? When in doubt, talk to the professionals about your specific case.

We value our customers’ and employees’ safety above all else. Our commitment to safety is one of our core values and we have the certification and training to back that up.

At Gateway, we also strive as hard to maintain your facility as we would our very own.

Here’s what you can expect from our team. At Gateway, we:

• Continuously audit and improve our safety program
• Are vendor-trained for specialized equipment
• Have the knowledge, experience, and training required to successfully complete work in any facility
• Ensure all team members pass full security background checks
• Are COR (Certificate of Recognition) certified throughout Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan