
A brief history of air-conditioning (2006) - samclemens
http://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/features/abriefhistoryofairconditioning
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teuobk
This article ignores the fact that it takes less energy to cool a home in a
hot climate than it does to heat a home in a cold climate. Since people have
been able to more easily move to hot climates thanks to air conditioning, the
net effect has been a reduction in energy use.

A somewhat more balanced article is this one from the Economist:

[http://www.economist.com/news/international/21569017-artific...](http://www.economist.com/news/international/21569017-artificial-
cooling-makes-hot-places-bearablebut-worryingly-high-cost-no-sweat)

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msandford
I guess one difference between heating and cooling is that heating can be
very, very efficient by just burning whatever. With cooling you're burning
whatever, and then turning that into electricity at about 60% efficiency (at
best) then losing some efficiency through transmission and then some more
turning that electricity back into mechanical energy.

I'm not saying it's a wash by any stretch of the imagination.

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samcheng
I was surprised at how efficient a heat pump can be! Research SEER. A new A/C
unit has a greater-than-300% efficiency.

Heat pumps can be used for heating, too, but they're expensive and commonly
involve drilling wells for geothermal loops.

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pkulak
Air source heat pumps are about as costly to operate as natural gas in mild
climates (where it's generally above freezing most of the time). If you do dig
up your yard and lay underground pipe, that heat pump system will cost a
fraction of natural gas to operate, even in Minnesota. And that's with natural
gas prices at historic lows. Heat pumps are amazing.

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xutopia
One thing that isn't written about in the article is the fact that in the USA
people only know one setting for their air conditioning units. People would do
great to try a different setting than "make your house a fridge".

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ams6110
I have this constant conflict with a guy at work. I like the AC at about 78,
which is also the coldest I ever set it at home. He walks in and first thing
sets it to 70. I find that uncomfortably cool especially if it's 90+ degrees
outside.

I rarely use the AC in my car, unless I'm on a longish drive and it's really
hot.

~~~
pkulak
I remember when I lived in Phoenix, 80° was a popular setting. Man, did that
ever feel great coming in from 110°! Now that I live in Oregon where 82°
outside feels too hot, I'll set my indoor thermostat to 74°.

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msandford
The article laments how we use electricity to cool things, and talks glowingly
about how people used to cool off. I didn't see a single thing in there that
an average person could afford. Can you build a double-walled palace and
import ice? How about hiring a bunch of punka-wallahs? How does the punka-
wallah stay cool while he's expending a bunch of energy keeping others cool?

To me it reads kind of like the thing all kinds of underprivileged groups
lament "fuck you, I got mine"

