Look Out Allan

[Dick Seibert]

The Greenies want your air conditioning now, I've read this in the past with claims that the single best way to "save energy" is to ban air conditioning.

Washington didn't grind to a sweaty halt last week under triple-digit temperatures. People didn't even slow down. Instead, the three-day, 100-plus-degree, record-shattering heat wave prompted Washingtonians to crank up their favorite humidity-reducing, electricity-bill-busting, fluorocarbon-filled appliance: the air conditioner.

This isn't smart. In a country that's among the world's highest greenhouse-gas emitters, air conditioning is one of the worst power-guzzlers. The energy required to air-condition American homes and retail spaces has doubled since the early 1990s. Turning buildings into refrigerators burns fossil fuels, which emits greenhouse gases, which raises global temperatures, which creates a need for -- you guessed it -- more air-conditioning.

A.C.'s obvious public-health benefits during severe heat waves do not justify its lavish use in everyday life for months on end. Less than half a century ago, America thrived with only the spottiest use of air conditioning. It could again. While central air will always be needed in facilities such as hospitals, archives and cooling centers for those who are vulnerable to heat, what would an otherwise A.C.-free Washington look like?

At work

In a world without air conditioning, a warmer, more flexible, more relaxed workplace helps make summer a time to slow down again. Three-digit temperatures prompt siestas. Code-orange days mean offices are closed. Shorter summer business hours and month-long closings -- common in pre-air-conditioned America -- return.¹

Now let's be fair about this, if we are going to ban air conditioning in the South, we should ban heating in the North, particularly wood burning, it pollutes much more than coal, oil or gas burning.


¹ http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...902341_pf.html

[Bill Robinson]

Interesting, I just got the book, a very good read---if you do

read that is.


I find is as a way to consider how we can reduce construction costs, reduce energy consumption (lower bills) and still enjoy life.

If you do take the time to read the book you will find there are things we have lost in the sake of progress.

Still cool Bill R

[Bob Kovacs]

Sounds like a good read. I just found it at our local book store, and will be picking it up tonight. Thanks for the link, Bill!

[Bill Robinson]

For sure I am not turning off the AC, my wife would not stand for that and I do like to cool off on these so very hot days.
However there are things that have changed the way we live and it is not always for the better;
Advent of air conditioning
Merchant tract building
First oil embargo

I will not turn off my AC however I will try to be nicer in the face of all of this heat:)

Want to be Cool Bill R
Let me know what you think of the book Bob

[GaryJR]

If you want to point fingers for the unnecessary use of air conditioning, I'd unhesitatingly point my finger to women. I love women, if not for them I would not be in business. But women as a whole can not survive without A/C. Especially when they go through their "Changes",
and let me tell you, you better have the A/C cranked up and the windows open in the winter or else you'll find yourself sleeping with the Wolfman.

I could lie in bed in sweltering heat and fall asleep, my wife could too, but only after she put a knife in my chest for turning on the A/C.

[Dick Seibert]

Gary:

You climb in bed with your wife with knives in your home? Have you forgotten about John already?

[GaryJR]

Gary:

You climb in bed with your wife with knives in your home? Have you forgotten about John already?

I forgot about that story, I'm sure john didn't!

[J.Buesking]

I woke up the other morning freezing. I went to the thermastat and my wife had it at 48 F! I didn't even think it could go that low...

You should see the mud pit outside from the condenser... June Heat turned the AC unit area into a small pond...

[Allan Edwards]

For sure I am not turning off the AC, my wife would not stand for that and I do like to cool off on these so very hot days.
However there are things that have changed the way we live and it is not always for the better;
Advent of air conditioning
Merchant tract building
First oil embargo

I will not turn off my AC however I will try to be nicer in the face of all of this heat:)

Want to be Cool Bill R
Let me know what you think of the book Bob

Can't imagine living in Hot & Humid Houston without AC, although we didn't have it in cars, the homes we lived in, or school until I was about 15.

Bill, I'm trying to figure out the meaning of your links: History of AC, Tract Building, and Oil. Is there a secret message there?

Scratching His Head Allan

[parkwest]

Seems we may have innocently stumbled upon the cause and the cure of greenhouse gases, American women!!!

Is there any studies giving us numbers on energy use broke down by sex?

[Ted S.]

Now let's be fair about this, if we are going to ban air conditioning in the South, we should ban heating in the North

We can't do that Dick, the sprinklers will freeze.

[Dick Seibert]

We can't do that Dick, the sprinklers will freeze.

No problem Ted, we just put antifreeze in the sprinklers, then when we have grease fires we will kill people helping with the overpopulation problem and further reducing greenhouse gasses.

[Bill Robinson]

Can't imagine living in Hot & Humid Houston without AC, although we didn't have it in cars, the homes we lived in, or school until I was about 15.

Bill, I'm trying to figure out the meaning of your links: History of AC, Tract Building, and Oil. Is there a secret message there?

Scratching His Head Allan

Shoot Allan, and I thought it was so obvious.
IMO those three events, the invention and mass-marketing of air conditioning, production building techniques and the 1973 oil embargo have drastically changed the way we build.
Of course there are other things but I believe these three have had the greatest (not necessarily good) impact.

Air conditioning allowed more building in the hot and hot/humid climates and also took away the tall ceilings, ventilating windows, front porches, large sun-blocking overhangs.

Production building, perfected by the Levits brought us modular building, slab on grade, low ceilings, no porches, snout houses, developments based on density and cul-de-sacs.

The oil embargo if 1973 brought us energy codes, the DOE, insulation on a mass level and building science.

No secret code here, just some building history.

Capice?
DaVinci Bill R

[Dick Seibert]

Air conditioning allowed more building in the hot and hot/humid climates and also took away the tall ceilings, ventilating windows, front porches, large sun-blocking overhangs.

So Bill, if we I build with tall ceilings, ventilating windows, front porches, and large sun-blocking overhangs, we shouldn't have to be concerned about all of this?

[Bill Robinson]

All of what Dick?
All of what?
Everything or just a few things?

Politicks, Liberals and the nasty things that go along with them or just a few things?

Still cool Bill R
Just rolled into a Ramada in New Iberia LA.
The AC was turned down so cold I am thinking Josh and his wife were here last nite:)