New Technology in Air Conditioning

UC Davis, a campus leading the way in many academic areas also leads in environmental advocacy and research. UC Davis holds a national competition (well, several of them) depending on the case, and this year one of the winners was the "Coolerado" Air conditioning system that is designed for light commercial buildings that can cut energy use by 80% over a traditional air conditioning system.

Source: http://www.greentechmedia.com/green-light/post/coolerado-wins-uc-davis-air-conditioning-prize/ - last access 9/23/09, also noted on flex your power's monthly news letter.

These air conditioners were designed to work better in the climates of western states (Southern California). That means that they don't need to waste energy doing processes that may not be needed. These air conditioners would drastically reduce the energy used in the hot summer months. In California, our air conditioners use about 50% of all energy during peek usage. If we could cut that number, we could be freeing up energy for other usage and prevent those rolling black outs.

While this technology is probably out of the price range for most homeowners, the pay offs for larger corperations and industrial buildings are already there. This is just something to keep in mind as our society grows more energy concious and technologically advanced.