On warm spring and fall days we can open our windows wide and enjoy the breezes, the sound of the fountain outside, the sound of protesters across the street at the Capital. Bugs do fly in, and even the occasional bird, but it keeps us from being isolated from the big world. The windows themselves, however, can be a challenge. Getting them open usually isn't too hard. Getting them closed again can be, especially on a hot day when the metal frames have expanded.
Strong winds can pose a problem, too.
I remember fearing that one short co-worker was going to be pulled outside as she tried to close a big casement during a storm. There is a downside to this non-airconditioner business. The Willamette Valley is definitely a temperate climate, but it does get hot in the summer. So we have little air conditioners in the windows in most offices. Air conditioners take electricity.