What temperature for Chennai?

Chennai or Madras has got a high ambient temperature. The seasons that we are blessed with are known commonly as HOT, HOTTER, & HOTTEST!

While no one can deny the fact that AIR CONDITIONING is almost a must for any organisation, what should be the inside design temperature for a hotter place like Chennai?

In most of the IT companies it is found that temperatures close to 72 deg F(22.2 deg C) are selected or recommended for the general workstation areas.

Do we really need that? In western countries, where there is more need to heat, there is meaning in limiting the temperatures to lower and acceptable limits. But do we need to copy that when our requirement is just the opposite of heating, or having to cool most of the times? Does it not make sense to keep the temperatures a litle higher but at an acceptable level?

On one side everyone talks of the need to conserve energy, but on the other side we compel equipements to consume more energy by pushing the set point to lower levels.

Who is responsible for this? The clients or the consultants?

On the other hand the requird importance is not fully given to fresh air needs(by the designer initially and/or by the client latter).

Systems are simply overdesigned, with less importance to fresh air.

May be two negatives make one positive!