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Digital City Briefs - 30 Global Cities: Sustainable Air Conditioning?
At Digital City Briefs, we believe that the digital city is here to stay. We research and share best practices related to smart infrastructure and sustainable development in 30 global cities, as they transition into digital cities.
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Sustainable Air Conditioning?
The global cities will need to accommodate 1 billion more people by 2025. Many of these cities are located in the warm climate zones, requiring air conditioning for people's health and productivity. For example, cooling is a craze in India. Yet, “the cooling needs of Mumbai alone could be about a quarter of those of the entire United States.” That is quite alarming, since the electricity required for cooling as well as the coolants they contain increase greenhouse gas emissions.
“Today’s humans probably need air-conditioning if they want to thrive and prosper. Yet if all those new city dwellers use air-conditioning the way Americans do, life could be one stuttering series of massive blackouts, accompanied by disastrous planet-warming emissions.”
Is there any way to avoid massive blackouts?
Reference: Rosenthal, Elisabeth, The Cost of Cool, The New York Times, August 18, 2012
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