It’s 100 degrees Fahrenheit outside and sweat is dripping from your forehead.Your only thought is how to cool, so you run to the thermostat and turn on the air conditioner.a good job!You just contributed to global warming!
Usually, when it’s hot or sticky and wet outside, people tend to gravitate towards the nearest air-conditioned place.However, emitted emissions are an important contributor to global warming.Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to avoid fossil fuel based heating and cooling systems in everyday life.From turning on the refrigerator, to taking a hot shower, to turning on the lights – they are everywhere.
While the use of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) is inevitable, we have and are developing more sustainable heating and cooling methods, such as heat pumps and photovoltaics.However, the shift to sustainability is harder than it seems due to cost and achievability.But simply changing the energy we use can go a long way toward mitigating global warming.
According to Particle, “there are approximately 1.6 billion heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) units [and] by 2030, this number will grow to 5.6 million.” Other studies predict that over the next 30 years, more than 25 percent of the global The warming will be caused by the air conditioner.
Recently, however, there has been a strong push for more sustainable solutions that may limit these contributions.
Rob Stevens, professor of mechanical engineering, teaches several energy and environmental courses and has worked on solar thermal projects.
Solar thermal projects use “hot heat” to generate electricity.They capture sunlight to generate the required high temperatures.
The system is better suited to warmer climates and is more difficult to implement globally.
“You have to worry about freezing,” Stevens said.”The system is much more complex, which makes it very expensive.”
Solar thermal plans use liquids to transfer heat, so they can easily freeze below 42 degrees Fahrenheit.
Heat pumps are another more sustainable option.They transfer heat from one location to another – from the ground to the air or from the air to the ground.Similar to solar thermal plans, custom installations and energy prices can make heat pumps an expensive feature.
However, consumers can save even more money in the long run because they don’t have to worry about replacing the pump every 10 to 15 years, as they would with a regular HVAC unit.The heat pump has been using the same technology since its creation, no need to upgrade.
They offer a practical alternative to fossil fuels that ultimately cost less in the long run.
“Fossil fuels are cheap to begin with, but you have to pay from start to finish. With sustainable resources, you pay for installation, not energy,” explains Stevens.”It’s just a matter of time.”
Fossil fuels are cheaper up front, but…for sustainable resources, you pay for the installation, not the energy.”
While some may think that the HVAC industry is fighting these sustainable alternatives to preserve its business models, many companies are already working to implement them.
Dominic DeLeo has been with Isaac Heating and Cooling for 26 years and is currently their VP of Residential Operations.
In addition to HVAC systems, Isaac has installed heat pumps for many years.The company is very aware of their environmental and economic benefits.
“Heat pumps have been installed in upstate New York since the 1980s. It’s electric subsidy, so it makes more sense,” DeLeo said.
In addition to practicality, DeLeo explains how more companies are driving heating and cooling alternatives through monetary incentives and updated technologies such as electrochemical machining.The process involves replacing certain metals with electrolytes to help pass electrical current and create a rapid flow of heat.
Because of all these benefits, heat pumps and other forms of sustainable heating and cooling are growing, and many are opting against traditional HVAC installations.
In parallel with the push for more sustainable energy, many HVAC manufacturers have also been working to create safer, greener alternatives to current heating and cooling installations.For example, manufacturers are working to reduce the amount of refrigerant their machines use, as well as “ice-powered air conditioners,” which can freeze water overnight the next day.
DeLeo, like many other heating and cooling companies, recognizes the negative environmental impact of current HVAC systems and is pushing for safer technology.
“The refrigerant is the problem,” DeLeo said.”[Manufacturers are] changing the refrigerants allowed and removing more and more chlorine.”
Refrigerants are made from chlorofluorocarbons, which are very harmful chemicals composed of chlorine, fluorine and carbon.This chemical is very harmful to the ozone layer and traps heat in the atmosphere.By reducing the use of chlorofluorocarbons, we are reducing the amount of chemicals released into ozone.
HVAC technology has come a long way since the early 1900s and continues to improve.According to Snyder AC, the old model used up to 6000 watts of power, while the new model used about 1710 watts – a 250% reduction!
So while there is still a market for traditional HVAC units, companies are currently working to make safer alternatives and more sustainable options the norm.
Stevens also discussed photovoltaics as a viable option for water heating.They are becoming more and more popular, and more and more products are being added to the global grid.
A photovoltaic cell is an electric solar panel that converts thermal energy from light energy into electricity using photovoltaic cells or solar cells.
This technology can be used to heat water, and – similar to heat pumps – offers different incentives to encourage people and companies to use them.
“Federal incentives, tax incentives [and] economic incentives,” he said.”It covers 60% of the cost, which helps drive demand.”
While it will be a while before heat pumps and photovoltaics replace air conditioners and furnaces, there is a push to use sustainable energy alternatives.
HVAC units aren’t going away anytime soon, but by implementing safer features and encouraging sustainability, sometimes you may not have to warm the planet to cool down.