As record heat waves swept the globe this summer, billions of people struggled to afford household air conditioning systems – an essential human need in warming climates – but access isn’t equitable.
Air conditioners can be energy drains and emit harmful greenhouse gasses. But you don’t have to compromise comfort to make an impactful difference.
1. Evaporative Cooling
Evaporative cooling is an eco-friendly cooling solution based on water evaporation to lower ambient air temperature. As water molecules evaporate they absorb heat from surrounding air molecules and create a cool breeze that’s energy efficient and requires less maintenance than traditional air conditioning units. They have much lower environmental impacts because there are no refrigerants or harmful chemicals used that damage ozone layers – perfect for energy conservation!
This cooling system offers an cost-effective alternative to air conditioning that can be utilized both commercially and residentially. Optimal performance occurs in environments with dry climate conditions; humid conditions decrease its effectiveness. Depending on climate conditions, solar air conditioning systems can save up to 80% of energy consumed by traditional air conditioning.
Cooling towers are used to dissipate heat from industrial facilities and buildings back into the atmosphere through condensation of water vapor, often found in manufacturing plants, power stations, chemical plants, greenhouses and livestock confinement barns. Warehouses, loading docks, sports venues as well as restaurants/cafes with outdoor seating areas also make use of cooling towers as a reliable method of cooling down their premises.
Reverse-cycle air conditioners operate by drawing ambient air through vents in the walls or ceiling and over damp pads to cool them before sending it through vents in the building, where fans circulate it with fresh, cooled air. They are extremely energy efficient – typically only consuming around 1.5 kilowatts per hour to run – far lower than an air conditioning unit would.
Evaporative cooling offers another distinct advantage over traditional air conditioning: it doesn’t recirculate the same air over and over, which prevents contaminants such as odours from being recycled again and again, eliminating dry air that irritates respiratory mucous membranes, dehydrates skin cells, or worsens conditions like eczema, rhinitis or conjunctivitis.
Evaporative cooling units come in various forms, from portable units that can be moved easily between rooms to window- or wall-mounted coolers with ductwork; all offering highly efficient performance that can be tailored specifically to fit the needs of any given home, as well as easy installations using renewable sources like solar panels.
2. Heat Pumps
Heat pumps offer an effective alternative to traditional furnaces and central air systems, using low-emission electricity to extract thermal energy from the air (heat is just another form of energy) in order to heat and cool your home efficiently and economically. They’re more flexible than most traditional HVAC systems and work equally well in homes with or without ducts – they even pair perfectly with solar rooftop panels for even greater savings and energy efficiency!
These systems may cost more than traditional HVAC systems, but their energy-saving abilities often justify their purchase within years – especially in colder climates. Plus, many qualify for federal tax credits or rebates to make initial investment easier to afford.
Air-to-air heat pump models dominate US heat pump sales, providing heating and cooling through ductwork or ductless “heads.” You have several choices when selecting an air handler connected to an outdoor compressor: single zone systems are typically best; multi-zone models connect multiple indoor units directly with one outdoor compressor (commonly referred to as multi-splits).
Choose a model designed for extreme cold temperatures – newer models can operate effectively at temperatures as low as -30 F! They have become increasingly common across many snowy states.
No matter which model you select, an installer will first ensure your electrical panel can support the new equipment. They’ll consider your room sizes and duct sizes when making their recommendation, along with any optional blower door tests to test insulation levels and air leakage.
When selecting a heat pump, pay special attention to its SEER and HSPF ratings. These industry standard performance metrics measure efficiency; higher numbers indicate greater performance; so the more efficient a system is rated, the greater its long-term savings will be.
As part of a proactive effort to maximize its efficiency, make sure your heat pump remains spotlessly clean by changing out its filters at least twice annually. Regular filter changes also help improve indoor air quality by trapping dust particles that come circulating with heated or cooled air, so make sure to stay on top of changing out filters regularly!
3. Smart Thermostats
Smart thermostats make HVAC settings easily customizable to your family’s preferences and schedule, as well as helping reduce energy consumption in your home and providing suggestions on ways to save energy costs.
Nest Thermostat is an increasingly popular option, as it quickly adapts to your habits over time and adjusts itself accordingly. We found the third-generation version to be particularly adept at making small adjustments that add up to significant savings on energy bills. Furthermore, its other features include monitoring while away, geofencing capability that knows when you’re near home, as well as mobile app compatibility for fine-tuning settings easily.
Amazon Echo thermostats, connected to smart speakers and voice-activated, offer many of the same functions as Nest thermostats at a lower cost; including setting automations and creating schedules as well as energy conservation features like automatically adjusting temperatures when no one is home and engaging eco mode when sleeping.
Honeywell RTH6580WF Wi-Fi thermostat is another effective choice for cutting HVAC costs and mitigating environmental impact. You can control it using either your phone app or voice command and it works seamlessly with smart home ecosystems such as Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, HomeKit, and SmartThings – plus all kinds of heating/cooling systems including heat pumps!
Make the most of your AC’s efficiency by regularly replacing its air filter and scheduling annual tuneups, closing blinds during the day to block sunlight and decreasing your use of appliances that produce heat such as an oven or clothes dryer, as well as making sure ductwork is sealed properly and in good condition so as to prevent drafts forming in your ductwork system. Doing these things will keep your AC running more efficiently thereby cutting back on electricity use which in turn reduces carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere and is the way forward.
4. Solar Panels
Solar panels are an effective way to lower energy consumption in your home while helping the environment. Utilizing renewable sources of energy and cutting electricity costs, solar may not make sense in all situations; for instance, if your roof doesn’t get enough sunlight or you live in states without net metering.
Solar energy is created when sunlight hits photovoltaic (PV) cells, causing electrons to be excited and break loose from their bonds, flowing through an inverter to be converted to AC electricity that can then power appliances or be stored in batteries. Solar PV may also be used for water heating in hot water cylinders at home or large solar thermal power stations.
As soon as you decide to install solar panels, the first step should be assessing your energy needs and selecting an energy calculator from the Department of Energy website to help. Once you know which size system will best meet those needs in your home, you can explore available products in your region.
Most solar panel installers offer an assortment of products and sizes, enabling you to select one that is tailored specifically for your home. When considering price per watt of each panel type – consider quality brands like SunPower which often cost more upfront but could prove worthwhile over time.
Consider that solar panels will gradually lose some of their efficiency over time, though this loss should remain slow enough that you should still get at least 84% of initial capacity after 25 years.
If you choose solar power as your solution, your local utility company must first inspect its installation to make sure all wiring was done correctly, solar panels were mounted securely, and that the system meets all standard electrical and roof setback codes.
