5 Ways to Help Your AC Beat the Heat

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As the planet warms, the race for sustainable cooling technologies is heating up. In Slovenia, researchers are developing a revolutionary cooling system that skips toxic gases and instead uses recyclable nickel-titanium alloy to keep things chill. Their method?

It’s called elastocaloric cooling—and it could transform how we air-condition homes and buildings without harming the planet. Unlike traditional systems that use hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)—greenhouse gases thousands of times more potent than CO₂—this method doesn’t rely on liquid-to-gas phase changes.  Instead, it leverages a solid-state material, nitinol, which heats up when mechanically stressed and cools down when the pressure is released.

“A mass of only one kilogram of refrigerant with a GWP of 10,000 causes as much global warming as 10 tons of CO₂,” says Jaka Tušek, principal investigator of the project at the University of Ljubljana. “We want to replace them with solid refrigerants based on shape memory alloys.”

The project, E-CO-HEAT, is part of the European Union’s broader mission to decarbonize heating and cooling—a sector that accounts for 10% of global electricity use. This research could help phase out toxic coolants, reduce fire risk, and improve efficiency, especially as climate change accelerates.

“Our device has no moving parts in the cooling loop and uses less energy,” the team notes. “It can become a highly efficient alternative to vapor compression cooling.

“Ironically, the more we cool, the greater the demand for cooling.” he explains. “The International Energy Agency estimates that the number of air conditioners worldwide will rise from 1.6 billion today to 5.6 billion by the middle of the century.

“At this rate of increase in cooling demand, energy use for cooling will exceed total energy use for heating by 2060 and by the end of the century by more than 60%. Among the alternative technologies, elastocaloric cooling and heating technology, based on exploiting the elastocaloric effect during cyclic loading of shape memory materials, has shown great potential in recent years,” says Tušek.

Read more on Green Prophet about the hidden climate cost of air conditioners and efforts to design buildings that don’t need cooling at all.

Metal-Based Cooling Could Cut Carbon and Slash Energy Use

Tušek’s team is working with partners from Ireland, Germany, and Italy under the project SMACool, which aims to deliver a working prototype of a metal-based air conditioner by 2026. Though still at 15% efficiency, researchers expect to surpass that soon, potentially beating standard vapor compression units that max out at 30%.

The technology avoids the flammable or toxic properties of so-called “natural refrigerants” like isobutane or ammonia, which come with their own risks—especially in hot climates where performance drops.

“We are building an advanced elastocaloric device that can replace today’s harmful cooling systems and have a measurable impact on climate goals,” Tušek says.

But change won’t be instant. This kind of leap forward faces resistance from an industry heavily invested in HFC-based infrastructure. Still, the benefits—zero-emissions refrigerants, higher safety, and better performance—are hard to ignore.

As Tušek puts it: “We’re not only developing a device. We’re shaping a safer, cooler future.”

Check out Green Prophet’s coverage of other clean tech frontiers like solar cooling in deserts and AI-powered climate solutions.

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Owning a home means investing in comfort, safety, and financial security. Keeping your property in tip-top shape is a way to protect those goals. But if you’re one of the growing numbers of eco-conscious homeowners, you’re also focused on reducing your property’s carbon footprint.

One of the areas where you can make a significant impact is by moving away from conventional HVAC systems. Your home’s heating and cooling equipment typically accounts for at least half of your energy use. By switching to environmentally conscious HVAC solutions, you’ll increase your property’s sustainability while maintaining its comfort and value. Below are a few ideas for eco-friendly temperature control to consider.   

Ductless Mini-Split Systems

Chances are you already have central AC and heat. Although your equipment may be of the high-efficiency variety, you can lower your energy use even more. By moving away from conventional HVAC systems, you can only use the energy you need at the moment.

How? With a ductless mini split system, you can install separate units in each area or room of your home. These systems are often more eco-friendly than centralized solutions because you can adjust the temperature by zone. Instead of using energy to have the entire property at the same temp, you’re heating or cooling one area.

As you’re sitting in your living room on a steamy summer evening, you’ll keep your cool while binging. When it’s time to get some sleep, you can ramp up the air conditioner in your bedroom. Cooling in the other parts of your home can taper down so you’ll have less waste. You’ll also eliminate the need for pricey ductwork, including periodic cleaning and repairs.

Heat Pumps

Heat pumps can cut your electricity use for heat by as much as 75%, which is pretty substantial. Even if you live in a milder climate, you can experience colder temps that call for more than electric blankets. And while high-efficiency furnaces offer the promise of rebates and using less natural gas, you’re still dependent on fossil fuels.

Converting to a heat pump means the equipment is using air within or outside your home, depending on the season. If it’s warmer, the pump moves hot air outside. During the cooler months, the pump does the opposite. It moves air from the outside into your home to make it warmer.

Systems like these are known as air-to-air solutions. However, heat pumps can also be geothermal. These systems use heat from the ground to make your home more comfortable during chilly weather. Some heat pumps can use existing ductwork while others operate on the mini-split or ductless concept.

Solar Power

Living in an area with ample sunshine holds advantages besides promoting feelings of happiness. It’s an opportunity to use the sun’s natural energy to power your home. Solar panels, shingles, and windows are ways to make the switch.

Of course, you’ll want to enlist the help of the pros before you get the work done. They’ll be able to tell you how many panels you’ll need and what side to install them on. Contractors will look at obstructions to sunlight, including trees. They’ll gather data about your home’s size and energy needs.

If you decide to install solar panels, you may have the option of leasing them. This route can reduce upfront costs and might make sense if you won’t be in your home for decades. If you’re worried about potential damage from hail or the look of panels on your roof, consider more discrete options. Windows and roof shingles with built-in solar technology can help you convert while maintaining the same exterior appearance.

Swamp Coolers

A swamp cooler works by using evaporated water to cool your home’s interior. These cooling systems use 60% to 80% less electricity than central AC units. However, swamp coolers work best in dry climates.

So, if you live in the southwestern United States, you’ll be in a better position to convert to a swamp cooler. In humid climates like Florida or the northeast, evaporative cooling systems may not work well. There are additional considerations such as the higher water use. Swamp coolers typically require between 3,000 and 12,500 gallons of water each year.    

Higher water use can be a concern in states where there are already supply challenges. Dry climates naturally get less precipitation, which can lead to tighter water restrictions. During droughts, the restrictions can be even more challenging. But if your home is smaller and uses passive cooling techniques, a swamp cooler could be a good fit. Passive cooling techniques take advantage of natural ventilation and shading to keep indoor temperatures comfortable.

Eco-Friendly Temperature Control

Your home is a haven from the outside world. It gives you a place to unwind, enjoy life, and protect you from the elements. A home can be more about the memories you make living in it than the structure itself. Still, conscious homeowners are also mindful of how certain changes can add to a property’s sustainability and market value.

A home’s heating and cooling solution is considered one of its major components. Indoor temperature control is a must in terms of comfort and safety. While conventional HVAC systems do a good job of maintaining both, the equipment is dependent on fossil fuels. This reality isn’t necessarily the most energy-efficient or realistic as governments introduce climate change initiatives. Switching to sustainable solutions is an investment in the property’s future.            

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Keeping your home cool during the hot and humid summer months is costly and damaging to the climate because of all the extra energy usage. But with a few strategic hacks to using your current window-based air conditioner, portable air conditioning unit or central air condition system, you can make your air conditioner work more efficiently. And that means more coolness for you and no more choosing your friends based on who has an air conditioner at home. It also means buying less carbon credits if you are doing carbon accounting for your home.

Here are some expert tips to enhance your AC’s performance and ensure a comfortably cool home, office or hang out space. These are from Green Prophet’s experiences we’ve taken from living in New York, Canada, Europe (there is practical no air-con there) and the Middle East and will ensure your air quality stays high too.

Deep clean vents every few years

Dust and grime can accumulate in your central system AC vents and mini-split units over time, slowing airflow and reducing efficiency. Performing a deep clean of your air vents every three to five years is crucial. This maintenance ensures that the maximum amount of cold air is released into your living spaces.

This routine boosts your AC’s performance but also extends its lifespan by preventing it from overworking to push air through clogged ducts. Here is a guide on how to deep clean your air ducts. You can do it at home without paying for an an expensive AC repairman.

If you live in Arizona, or a dusty, desert location with hot temps throughout the year consider a deep clean more regularly.

Replace air filters

In addition to deep cleaning vents periodically, replacing air filters on a regular basis is important for efficient operation. Air filters trap dust, pollen, and other airborne particles, preventing them from entering your air conditioning system. Open them up and if there is a lot of humidity in your region they may also be food of black mould. This mold will fly all over your home, clogging filters and your lungs.

The clogging also makes the unit work harder, giving less output. Ask how to change the air filters when you buy or acquire the unit. Read this guide on how to replace filters.

Read related: Improving air quality with your air conditioner

Pair the air con with fans

Spend-thrift people know that a high energy air con unit can heat a whole floor of a home if ceiling fans or floor fans are turned on. Fans take much less energy and they push the cool air through your home. This cools the room faster and makes it feel cooler by evaporating humidity from your skin. You can use less air and more fan, finding the happy balance at night, saving you money on your power bill.

Invest in window shades

Keeping sunlight out of your home can significantly reduce indoor temperatures. High-quality window shades or blinds can block the sun’s rays, preventing your rooms from heating up during the day. This means that your air conditioner won’t have to work as hard to cool your home.

By minimizing the amount of heat that enters your home, you can create a more comfortable environment and reduce the load on your AC unit. This not only enhances efficiency but also prolongs the life of your air conditioning system.

Keep the doors and windows closed

It might seem intuitive but part of what makes the summer feel hot is the humidity. Air conditioners typically remove the humidity from the air, cooling it in the process. Make sure you teach your kids and family members the importance of keeping windows in the entire house shut when the air conditioner is running or else you are basically pouring electricity down the drain.

Close vents and doors of rooms not in use

If you have a central AC unit, you can but small covers to put on the vents so the cooling stays out of rooms you aren’t using. If there is no-one in the guest bedroom or office, keep the door closed and let the cool air circulate where needed.

Now that you know how to hack your air con so it’s cooler this summer, read these 5 ways to re-use air conditioner AC water.

The post Hacks to Make Your Air Conditioner Work Harder appeared first on Green Prophet.

Indoor air quality is often worse than that of the outside air. That’s tragic that we may spend half or more of our time inside of our homes. Yet we consume energy trying to maintain the comfort of our homes and opening a window to let in fresh air wastes electricity. What is the solution? First start with hacks to make your air conditioner work better because these also improve indoor air quality.

Here are a few tips for improving the air quality and energy efficiency of your home. And read here for 5 hacks for reusing your air conditioner water.

Invest in AC Maintenance

Regularly changing out the air filters in the AC won’t just improve your indoor air quality. It will reduce the wear and tear on the air conditioner motor, extending its life. Cleaning the vents and the condenser coil will improve your permanent or portable unit’s efficiency. This will help you lower your energy bill while keeping cool.

More importantly, it will allow technicians to inspect for coolant leaks. They can fix refrigerant leaks before they result in a hot compressor burning out, and it minimizes the environmental impact such leaks can cause.

What can you do if you aren’t having the AC checked out once a year? Call out an air con repair service as soon as your AC is having problems, so that the minor issues can be addressed before they become expensive failures. We suggest being part of a local WhatsApp group to get the best and current recommendation near you.

Take Care of Your Ductwork

In many homes, heated and cooled air is distributed through the home via ductwork. Dust may stick to the inside of the ductwork. This won’t necessarily get into the air if you turn up the fan, but it can impair the proper flow of air inside your home. The ducts may be trapping moisture. If there is mold growing on the inside of the ducts, you need to have them professionally cleaned to get rid of the mold.

That has the side benefit of reducing respiratory problems airborne mold can cause. Have the ducts inspected periodically. Gaps and breaks in the seal let air-conditioned air escape. That is always a waste of energy, and these breaks in the system provide pests a way into your home.

Invest in HEPA grade filters

Always try to resolve the root cause of a problem, instead of resorting to temporary fixes. For example, you should have your ducts cleaned or the water leak contributing to mold growth fixed rather than spraying deodorizer in the air. You may need to remove the bushes intended to hide the air conditioner from view so that the unit has adequate air flow. A clogged drain in a furnace or air conditioner unit can result in the whole house smelling like mold and mildew. 

On the other hand, a bad smell that starts every time you turn on the AC could be due to mold growing in the HVAC filter you haven’t gotten around to changing. If you have bad allergies, or are worried about worsening air pollution, invest in HEPA grade filters and change them regularly. Use a fan to 

Replacing the filters more often so that the AC doesn’t have to work as hard to pull in air will lower your electric bill and reduce wear and tear on the equipment. Ask a local serviceperson what they recommend in terms of replacing HEPA filters.

We keep a stand alone HEPA filter in the room to work alongside the air conditioner. It keeps track of the amount of dust and particulate matter in the air and helps us understand when to open the windows and even dust the room. 

Growing plants indoors can contribute to an improvement of air quality. Here is a guide to growing an olive tree in a container if you want to start a project.

And lastly, if you want to run the air con guilt-free, invest in solar panels that power your home. The excess money feeds back to the grid. 

The post Improving the air quality of your home starting with your AC unit appeared first on Green Prophet.

The outbreak of Covid-19, and the impact it has had on the world, has changed the way we live and how we think about many social situations.

Masks are becoming more and more common when people are outdoors and in public spaces. The air we breathe has suddenly come under extra scrutiny. The strength of this illness and the speed with which it spreads is a threat to our communities and families that should not be underestimated. Having a home or business with a ventilation system with heat recovery can help combat the spread of Covid-19 and protect us in the event of an outbreak or a lockdown.

How Do These Systems Protect Against Covid-19?

Ventilation systems with heat recovery are well known for being an energy-efficient home or business heating solution, but one of the many added benefits they have is air purification.

The systems draw air in from the outside and heat it in order to warm the building, but before they do the air passes through a high-grade HEPA air filtration system that removes a number of particles, including bacteria. These filters are similar to an N95 grade face mask and provide similar protections, but for all the air in the building. This gives you the freedom to stop wearing a face mask but offers a similar level of protection as wearing a mask.

Why Are These Systems Energy-Efficient?

By using a ventilation with heat recovery system instead of a traditional furnace or water boiling system, you can make big savings on your heating costs.

Many heating systems use large amounts of electricity, or they burn natural gas in order to heat water piped throughout the home. This water then sits in radiators that bring heat to rooms and hallways. Ventilation systems that use heat recovery heat the air and pump it to each area. Waste heat is reclaimed from stale air that is expelled and the system and used to heat fresh air that has been drawn from the outside and filtered.

Combined with high-quality home insulation and energy-efficient windows, the cost of heating your home can be dramatically reduced.

Are Ventilation with Heat Recovery Systems Complicated to Install and Use?

Ventilation and heat recovery systems are actually incredibly simple to operate, and their installation can often be done in just one or two days.

The system pumps the heated air using ducts that fit into crawl spaces and under floors, where it is vented into every room and hallway. This installation can be done quickly and allows you to remove any radiators and water heat pipes, reclaiming space. The units that power the system also have a small and discreet footprint that will allow you to get even more space back in your home or business by removing water boilers and hot water tanks. 

Using a ventilation system with heat recovery to heat your premises and help combat Covid-19 is a great idea, and also a sound investment for the future. Outbreaks like the Covid-19 outbreak of 2020 may become more common in the future, and having high-grade filters to purify the air in your building could give you, your family, and your employees, extra protection during a lockdown.

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If you work from home with the windows closed or spend many hours in a poorly ventilated office every day, you might find yourself getting sleepy, thirsty, and tired early on. You pour yourself another cup of coffee, hoping caffeine will pump up the energy levels so you can focus better. You might resolve to improve your sleeping habits, eat more healthily, learn to de-stress through meditation… but the simple act of opening the windows might be the only thing you need.

When fresh air flows through the house (or office), it sweeps out stale, used air,  gases, odors, and dust. Oxygen flows in with fresh air, and as it’s known, higher levels of oxygen keep people awake and focused. Casinos, for example, have known this for years. They pump oxygen into the gaming rooms to keep gamblers high on the excitement for longer.

Letting fresh air in reduces accumulated condensation in the home. This helps to avoid wood rot and mold in your closets and under your bed. Mold likes warm, dark, moist conditions and can grow comfortably even during the summer. If your area has high humidity, it’s worth leaving your closet doors open for half an hour every day, longer if possible. My mother used to open her closet doors before she went to bed and slept with them open.

Consider using the old-fashioned method of keeping mattresses fresh by standing them up in the bedroom with the windows open. Your clothes, linens and beds will be the sweeter for it. And moving linens and bedding around discourages dust mites.

Prudent housekeepers have always known the value of fresh air and sun. I have folkloric memories of years when I lived in a Jerusalem apartment, observing head-kerchiefed Bukharan housewives pushing blankets and pillows out on the windowsills to air out, every day unless it rained. On Fridays they would fold their colorful rugs over the low walls around the building and have at them with bamboo rug beaters, freeing them from dust and exposing them to the cleansing sunshine. Nowadays we rely on washers, dryers, and vacuum cleaners, but letting the sun and air into your rooms is always good therapy for the house.

Save money on electricity when you ventilate. We automatically assume that the house will be unbearably hot from early morning on, or too cold to start the day, but most days there’s a temperature interval of  grace between night and the time we start the day.

Open all the windows and doors inside the house as early as you can. You might have even several hours before you feel the need to turn the a/c on and close everything up again. Remember, you pay for every hour of a/c.

Ventilating keeps you healthier. According to the American Lung Association, air pollution exists indoors too. People with compromised immune systems, lung diseases, asthma and allergies are at higher risk of getting sick when their indoor environment isn’t clean, and that includes good air quality. Nobody likes walking into a stuffy room. That’s our instinctive reaction to polluted air that’s not only unpleasant to breathe but dangerous to our health.

So ventilate to reduce indoor air pollution. Open the kitchen window when you’re cooking, to expel fumes, gases, moisture and airborne particles in the home. Ventilate the bathroom, particularly after a shower. Install exhaust fans in both kitchen and bathrooms.

Fumes from cooking and heating fuel must be vented to the outside. Use a fan to expel fumes. In the same way, make sure the exhaust from the dryer vents outdoors. And if you have a hobby that requires paints or chemicals, keep the room well ventilated with a fan in the window to help expel air pollutants.

When should you ventilate? Unless there’s a sandstorm or a raging blizzard outdoors, open windows every day. Choose hours when the outdoor temperature is tolerable. Early morning is usually the best time. Now in the summer, open bedroom windows before you sleep, with due consideration to security.

How should you ventilate? The simplest way to ensure a healthy flow of air in the house is to open all windows and doors for a while, allowing a draft. You will probably not want to open the front door for security reasons. Exhaust fans in rooms where moisture and fumes accumulate are efficient air cleaners – and as we wrote earlier, some house plants “scrub” the air too.

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Creating potable drinking water from the air is coming closer to being everyday reality, with companies like Drinkable Air already offering devices that create drinkable water from thin air. This idea is already in use by some military forces, including the Israeli and US military, for creating drinking water in arid regions where obtaining clean drinking water supplies is difficult at best.

Anyone running their car’s AC system in hot weather, often notices the runoff water when parking afterwards (photo).

These ideas have now gone a step further with prototype devices being developed by automotive manufacturers to harvest the AC runoff in cars and produce clean drinking water while you drive!  Ford Motor Company, for example, is testing a prototype device that creates up to half a gallon or 2 liters of cool drinking per hour by simply utilizing the car’s AC runoff while driving. An illustration of this technology:

As in other water from air devices, the amount of humidity determines how much water vapor is available to produce the runoff. Filtration devices are required to rid the water from impurities, including bacteria.

Vehicle AC water systems are likely to be desirable in regions where potable fresh water supplies are less available. These regions include much of the Middle East, Africa and the Indian Sub Continent. Being able to utilize water that normally runs off to the ground while driving can be very helpful in areas where clean water supplies are scarce.

More about utilizing AC water and obtaining water from thin air:
Drinkable air makes water frpm thin air
Air con water runoff; cherish it like the rain.
Tap Into Auxilary Water Supplies With Your AC

Photo of car AC drain tube, by KIA Soul forums

The post Drink and drive? Water friendly innovation from Ford appeared first on Green Prophet.

The app works with all “split units” (wall-mounted equipment that can heat or cool an interior space, or simply function as a room fan) as long as the unit has a remote control (and virtually all do).

Sensibo says its app could save consumers up to 40% on their AC electricity costs. Pretty cool!

You install a device on your AC unit that connects it to the internet. It also collects data from the surrounding micro-environment, allowing you to program on/off times so you could precondition room temperatures before use.  It can alert you to AC power status, so you’ll never leave the unit on in an empty house. It includes sensors for temperature, humidity, light and movement.  But the best feature may be veering into asset management: the app sends notifications when filters need cleaning or replacement – ensuring optimal performance at all times.

“We saw a huge opportunity to bring smart technology to the majority of the world’s A/C systems, filling a critical gap in the market without asking users to go out and buy a whole new air conditioner,” said CEO and co-founder Omer Enbar (pictured above).

He founded the Tel Aviv-based company last year.

Crowdfunding can kick-start more than realistically-proportion fashion dolls! Sensibo launched a fundraising campaign on Indiegogo seeking to raise $70,000 by July 4 to finance production. Initial investors are eligible to buy AC kits for discounted pricing in advance of public offering (shipment is planned for early 2015).

Sensibo points out that while their device is “smart”, the user needn’t be; the interface is easier and more intuitive than ordinary AC remote controls. The app – which is compatible with the majority of worldwide AC brands – can run on a smart phone, tablet, computer or Pebble watch. The device is installed in minutes using 3M mounting tape; which makes it both simple and portable – ideal for renters.

Enbar estimates that there are a billion air conditioners around the world that can work with his product. Make your AC unit smart, so that your monthly power bill doesn’t.

Or ditch the air con and get airy fairy with this hand-painted fan. Parisians do it!

The post Sensibo says it’s already cool. Now make your AC energy smart! appeared first on Green Prophet.

Shade and moving air are the greenest means of fighting heat, making sunshade devices and fans the superheros of natural cooling. Fans have been around since prehistoric times in the form of primitive flat panels flapped slowly by human power to push waves of air across people and spaces. The electric model didn’t come online until the late 19th century, table top units featuring metal blades (usually encased in a protective cage) set atop a pedestal base. Plug it in, and enjoy the cooling (and portable) comfort of artificial wind.

Comparisons between fans and AC are an apples versus oranges discussion as each has a different function.  An AC cools a room by lowering the temperature and wicking off humidity.  A fan simply moves the air, which doesn’t change room temp but can cool bodies within it (as long as the ambient temperature is less than 90° F and humidity lower than 35%, according to a report in the Journal of the American Medical Association).

I just came off a 30 minute treadmill trot and am sitting near an open window typing this. The strong Amman breeze – while warm – is definitely cooling me off – for free.

Here in Amman (and in most Mid East cities) AC’s allure is threefold.  It cools room temps, muffles outside sounds of traffic, construction and exuberant mullahs, and  – since windows are closed – keeps mosquitoes at bay. How can a simple electric fan compete?

By becoming performance art!  I stumbled upon a craft blog that showed how to turn a low-energy-consuming and affordable tabletop fan into a piece of movable art.  An easy DIY project that’s also kid-friendly – (link here for the how-to).

Slap on some paint in loosely applied stripes, and when your fan is in motion a kaleidoscope rainbow will appear. Or spend a few minutes online, where you can see different painting techniques with a variety of results.

How to paint your fan video below:

[youtube]http://youtu.be/C08_vLabWu0[/youtube]

So easy.  So green. And so cool.

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