Air conditioning and the evolution of modern office building design.

Air conditioning, as we know it, providing thermal comfort by mechanical means, first appeared in buildings about one hundred years ago. During that time it has had major influence on the evolution of the design buildings. This paper reviews the development of providing cool comfort in office buildings from the pre-active era of the middle of the 19th century through the rise of air conditioning in the mid 20th century to the current state of the art. The development has been sporadic punctuated by technological innovation, responses to energy and environmental issues and, changes in architectural fashion. The paper concentrates on the essential interdependence of the design solution between the building and the air conditioning system and what we can learn from both success and failure.