Whenever you experience extreme weather conditions, the first thing that people think about is the air conditioner. It makes your home feel warm or cool depending on the climatic conditions. As you already know, one of the biggest factors of climate change in recent years is global warming, which is causing extreme weather conditions. Of course, an air conditioner makes your home comfortable in such conditions, but conventional air conditioning contributes to climate change.
There are many myths and facts flying around regarding air conditioning and global warming. Well, one fact worth noting is that traditional air conditioning techniques contribute to climate change.
Appliances used for this purpose consume a huge amount of grid power supply, which leads to higher demand for non-renewable power sources. If you are wondering how you can get more efficient air conditioning, then this guide to select the best one for you and find out more alternative options for air conditioners.
Building Structural Changes
Perhaps, the cheapest option that you should consider, especially if you’re just beginning your construction, is to ensure that your building meets the required standards. Some buildings don’t prioritize a proper ventilation system simply because there’s the option of using an air conditioner whenever needed. However, this is a huge mistake because it only increases the amount of energy consumed and in turn higher power bills.
Apart from ventilation, it’s imperative that the relevant engineers start considering building designs and materials that can help improve the situation. Concrete and glass facades are common today, but they’re surely not well-suited to withstand heatwaves. As the world continues to fight against climate change, this could be a chance for contractors and construction engineers to try out new and efficient designs that will reduce the usage of air conditioners.
Planting Trees
Deforestation is one of the biggest problems when it comes to global warming. Cities are expanding and eating into forests and surrounding green spaces. Inasmuch as this helps improve the country’s economy, it promotes global warming and other related effects. Consequently, the world is experiencing sustained heatwaves, which has led to higher usage of air conditioners.
Air conditioners are just a temporary solution for cooling our ambiance. A more effective solution would be to plant trees wherever possible. This will create green spaces around the cities where people can relax during a hot day, hence minimizing the need for air conditioners. In addition, trees absorb the carbon dioxide produced by industries.
Choosing An Efficient Air Conditioner
To help reduce the impact of household appliances on climate change, it would be wise to choose air conditioners that use a fraction of the energy required. There are several organizations working on similar projects in a bid to achieve this goal. In fact, various solar-powered appliances are already on the market.
Packaged Terminal Air Conditioner (PTAC) units are another excellent option because of their convenience and flexibility. They are a type of ductless cooling and heating units, which are commonly installed in hotels and motels where guests need to be in control of the climate in their room without having any effect on the rest of the building.
As things stand, more air conditioners are going to be purchased within the next few years. However, if innovations were to be made within that period, then the amount of energy consumed will significantly reduce. As a result, the demands will drastically go down, which is a win for the people and the environment.
Bringing Behavioral Changes
People can adopt new technologies or plant trees, but, perhaps, the biggest issue is whether they’re willing to change their behavior. Things like new air conditioners and structural designs are technically affordable, but adopting new habits has always proven to be a barrier. Sadly nobody has a perfect idea on how to make such behavioral changes on a global scale.
For instance, some companies have adopted a policy wherein workers take longer holidays during summer and shorter ones during winter. Offices are known for their heavy reliance on air conditioners, especially during summers. Therefore, such moves ensure that less power is consumed by these appliances. Other behavioral changes that could significantly help mitigate climate change include allowing men to wear short-sleeved shirts and forgoing ties when the weather is not favorable.
Conclusion
Efficient air conditioning alone cannot help you bear with extreme climates since these devices majorly contribute to the current climate crisis. The best option to help mitigate this problem is to introduce both structural and behavioral changes. For instance, new buildings should be designed with better and effective ventilation systems. In terms of behaviors, companies should allow their employees to adopt favorable clothing styles, such as short-sleeved shirts, to keep them cool when the weather is hot.