Air-conditioners

I was at an ESG and Sustainability conference recently. One struggle faced by the sustainability leader of a company that manufactured air-conditioners was that they create a product that adds to the problem and there is a growing demand for it. So they are doing everything to increase the efficiency of the product so that it consumes less energy. Very true, and it is absolutely essential. But have we wondered why air conditioners are literally called "air conditioners"? Basically, it is supposed to condition the air, which means removing the extremes. But how do we use it? And before that, what is the design of this product that allows a temperature range way beyond the conditioning, which should be about removing the extremes? I am sure many of us fall into the category of those who love to put our air conditioner on at 20 degrees or below, take a blanket, and have a great sleep. This is nothing but a design problem in the air-conditioners. It does not condition but becomes an energy-hungry machine and allows us to use it incorrectly.

Heating and cooling take a huge chunk of energy that we consume, and both of this has the same problem. There is a design fault. The thermostats of the olden days must have evolved and reached a precision and reflex that can serve the purpose much more efficiently and save tons of energy. Their operational range of temperature definitely needs a serious look, and say by law, they are mandated to operate in a defined eco-friendly range, given the seriousness of the situation we are in. Energy should not be a luxury anymore; it should only be a necessity. Human habits don't change, so what we can change is product design, which is possible when businesses become responsible and have a higher purpose to serve than just focusing on their profits. Can financiers of the businesses influence it? Absolutely, but only when they start tracking the impact of their investments, both positively and negatively. That is when they can encourage the positive ones and discourage the negative ones. They have tons of levers to do that, but again, that needs a different focus and a system. A system because we all are the same even today. When we were kids, we would say, oh, my brother doesn't have to do it. Why would I have to?

Each degree of addition or removal of heat takes a lot of energy compared to bulbs for lighting. If you use a light bulb for four days non-stop, the energy consumed will be equal to that consumed by your aircon in one hour on a significantly lower side. Next time, if you could switch off the aircon for one hour, pat yourself saying I did not switch on the lights for four days continuously.

Design and habits - both can solve the problem. Which one is easier?