Can a Radar-Equipped AC Actually Cut Your Power Bill?
Wired · Sophie Charara ·
Air conditioners can now follow you from room to room to cut power draw. Saving the planet, however, won’t come from a smarter breeze.
Air conditioners and electric fans account for around 20 percent of electricity used in buildings worldwide—3 to 4 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions—and, as demand for cooling in homes, workplaces, and schools grows, the number of AC units in use could reach 5.5 billion by 2050.
The solution isn't one magic fix, but a suite of emerging technologies heading for living rooms and apartment windows. From radar sensors tracking your body to compact heat pumps and climate-safe refrigerants, here is how the next generation of air-conditioning plans to keep us cool without cooking the planet.
The “Intelligent AC” Boom