With much of the U.S. preparing for a summer, many might be inclined to remain indoors and increase air conditioning use.
However, AC units carry a significant environmental footprint. Radhika Khosla, an associate professor at Oxford University’s Smith School of Enterprise and Environment, states that “Air conditioners are not the most climate friendly solutions because they’re extremely energy intensive, they use a whole order of magnitude more electricity than fans, and because they’re so energy guzzling, they place quite a large strain on the [fossil fuel] electricity grid.”
Air conditioning is responsible for 7% of worldwide electricity consumption and 3% of carbon emissions; in 2022, the International Energy Agency estimated that electricity used for cooling produced. This amount is approximately equivalent to emissions. During periods of intense heat, when temperatures are widely lowered, the demand for cooling can severely burden energy systems.
Nevertheless, enduring oppressive heat is not a necessity. According to specialists, methods exist to stay cool while simultaneously lessening your ecological footprint during a heat wave.
Ensure your unit is properly maintained
Yunho Hwang, co-director of the Center for Environmental Energy Engineering at the University of Maryland, explains that an unmaintained air conditioning system will obstruct airflow, necessitating more energy for operation. He adds, “If the filter is not [clean], then air flow rate will be decreased, and that means the inefficient operation of the cooling system and so on.”
Pre-cool your living space
Hwang recommends cooling your residence four to six hours ahead of peak temperatures. Beginning at a lower initial temperature aids in decreasing the energy required to cool your home before external heat becomes excessive; this also lessens energy strain on power grids during peak periods. He notes, “Because the building has a larger thermal mass, your building can hold the coolness for a while.” If available, a timer can be utilized to prevent your air conditioning from operating unnecessarily, particularly when you are away.
Transition your energy grid to low carbon sources
Numerous electrical grids rely on fossil fuels, releasing greenhouse gases. Powering air conditioners with fossil fuels exacerbates the global warming that is causing the for air conditioning.
Khosla explains, “We’re therefore stuck in a vicious cycle where you have air conditioning use as a way to [adapt] against heat, but that same mitigation solution is one that is actually causing the problem and exacerbating it.”
Fossil fuels are not the sole alternative, however. A growing number of utility providers in the U.S. are starting to present consumers with the choice to suppliers. Extensive implementation of grid decarbonization could substantially lower air conditioning emissions, particularly when combined with the phasing out of climate-warming gases found in cooling technology, as per a 2023 report from the United Nations, on which Khosla was a lead author.
Explore alternative cooling methods
Numerous other strategies exist to stay cool and avoid overworking your air conditioner. For homes exposed to significant sunlight, consider closing blinds or curtains to block excessive heat ingress.
Ensure adequate ventilation, either by operating a fan or partially opening a window. Hwang advises, “Always use a …because that helps for air circulation around people, and also that cools down your body so that you don’t need to lower the room temperature as low.”
With global temperatures steadily increasing, re-evaluating our approach to heat management is crucial. Khosla states, “Our response to extreme heat is going to be one that will need to be holistic, and it cannot be one where one solely relies on the air conditioner, because that is not going to be a long term solution.” She adds, “The more awareness and investments that can be made up front in infrastructural design solutions and in technological approaches around energy efficiency, the more resilient we’re going to be in mitigating and adapting to these extreme temperatures that are coming.”