Is There an alternative to an air conditioner?

While air conditioners are intended to cool our living and working spaces, they rely on coal, oil, or gas energy, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions that worsen global warming. Positioned on buildings, they emit waste heat, exacerbating urban heat islands. Moreover, they strain energy grids on hot days, risking blackouts.

To address these issues, major cities like Paris, Munich, Hong Kong, Singapore, Dubai, and Toronto are constructing efficient central cooling systems. These systems circulate cold water through pipes, offering better efficiency than household units.

Modern cooling technology compresses gas, releasing heat, then extracts heat energy, resulting in a cooling effect. Large refrigeration plants often use natural cold sources, reducing energy needs.

Stefan Dworschak of Stadtwerke München emphasizes using groundwater or city streams for cooling, minimizing energy use. Munich’s district cooling network includes ice storage, producing ice during off-peak hours.

Cooling can also utilize heat, as seen in Vienna, where waste heat powers absorption chillers. Central cooling systems, combining technologies and utilizing waste heat, reduce electricity demand.

District cooling networks, like district heating, require significant investments and suffer energy losses in transmission. However, combined cooling and heating networks, like in Munich’s Moosach district, enhance efficiency.

In temperate climates like Germany, combining cooling and heating networks matches demand. Building insulation significantly reduces cooling needs. Well-insulated structures require less cooling energy, offering an alternative to district cooling.

Moreover, building insulation can be independently installed, giving property owners autonomy. In hot regions, insulation can complement cooling technologies, aligned with solar power generation, creating a balanced supply and demand.