L2B Blog: Fresh ideas about airconditioning

If you live in Durban like I do, you would know that living without air-conditioning or some sort of cooling system is absolute TORTURE!

In the extreme heat of summer, it can be quite tough to look and smell clean & fresh (TRA-LA-LA) all the time! There have been days where it felt like my makeup was literately melting off my face, not to mention the regular ‘sniff’ checks I needed to perform, not wanting to scare any potential subscribers away by looking like ‘The Crow!’

First, let’s go back in time:
One of the first A/C systems was invented by Willis Carrier in 1902 and was called the Ice Machine. It was developed to bring down the temperature and remove the humidity from the air.

 

 

Current time:
It’s been predicted by the Netherlands Environmental Agency, that by 2060 the amount of energy used worldwide in COOLING will overtake the energy used for HEATING.
As it stands, the United States uses as much energy to keep things COOL as the whole of the African Continent uses on EVERYTHING. Countries like India and China are fast catching up and by mid-century we will use more energy for cooling than heating!

 

 

But it’s not all “DOOM and GLOOM”

Since then, technology in A/C has improved and evolved dramatically. In 1992 conservation standards for manufacturers of central air conditioners and the heat pump were issued and in 2006 the energy SAVING from 2006 to 2035 is equivalent to the annual greenhouse gas emissions of about 72 million cars.
It has improved so much that the A/C today uses about 50% less energy that they did in 1990.

 

One of the ways to save not only on your electricity bill but also our planet, is a solution called: Ducted Reverse Cycle Air-Conditioning. It’s an Energy Efficient Solution for your home.
And because I had no clue what ” Ducted Reverse Cycle Air Conditioning” was before I did my research for this Blog, I think its a good idea to explain with a picture. 🙂

 

 

Ducted Reverse Cycle Air-Conditioning works through a fan that draws the hot air from your house and transfers it over a cold liquid called refrigerant. The air is then cooled and flows back throughout your house. The hot air that flows from the compressor evaporates. The compressor creates high-pressure gas and high-temperature gas. This gas is then pumped through to a heat exchanger that is located outside. Because the heat is able to escape, the refrigerant can then cool.

Benefits of this system:
* You have the option to either heat or cool a room
* It allows you to control the temperature from a control panel
* Sensors in different rooms ensure the correct temperature is maintained
* Comes with a zoning function option, allowing you a selection of different air flow and temperatures for different rooms

 

Very impressive: The Fourleaf Estate residential development in Port Elizabeth is the VERY FIRST residential project in AFRICA to meet the Edge resource-efficiency standard and to receive an “Edge final certification” from Green Building Council South Africa (GBCSA).
Click here to view details of this Project on L2B

 

If you are going to “FLIP that SWITCH”, herewith are some pointers on SAVING ENERGY:

Generally, the best temperature to set your A/C unit is around 24-25°C.
You can save considerably on the amount of energy used for each 1°c of heating or cooling that you do without. Should it be 35°C outside, by setting the temperature around 25, instead of 22, you could save a significant amount of energy.

 

And for those of us that DON’T have the LUXURY of air-conditioning, herewith some suggestions to keep cool:

* Shade your windows in summer with curtains, shutters and blinds that can reduce heat absorption by up to 80%.

* Create more shade outside of your house with awnings and trees.

* Hack a fan.

* Set your ceiling fans to rotate counter-clockwise. Some ceiling fans even come with a remote control.

* Let the night air in by keeping windows open.

* Focus on your body temperature by hydrating with cold drinks.

* Install UV film on your windows to reduce heat and glare.

* And lastly, instead of cooking indoors, in true South African style, “NOU GAAN ONS BRAAI!”

 

So, regardless if you want to CRANK UP the temperature during the cold winter months or DOWN in summer, consider that WE ONLY HAVE:

 

Sources:

One Home

Ducted reserve cycle

Gorrie Ice Machine

Building with no Air Conditioning

The Crow

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/oct/26/cold-economy-cop21-global-warming-carbon-emissions

http://www.bizcommunity.com/PDF/PDF.aspx?l=196&c=640&ct=1&ci=162669

https://energy.gov/articles/history-air-conditioning

http://www.hhaircon.com.au/general-news/ducted-reverse-cycle-air-conditioning-energy-efficient-solution-home.php

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.za/entry/ways-to-cool-your-home_n_5516182