Customize Consent Preferences

We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below.

The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site. ... 

Always Active

Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data.

No cookies to display.

Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features.

No cookies to display.

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

No cookies to display.

Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.

No cookies to display.

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns.

No cookies to display.

Empowering you to understand your world

Certain Building Designs Make It Hard To Live Without A/C

Originally published on Green Building Elements By Nicholas Brown.

I have made numerous efficiency-enhancing suggestions to people who can’t afford air conditioning. However, they said that their homes’ designs can’t accommodate those enhancements easily. After encountering that road block so many times, I decided it was necessary to discuss it (along with potential solutions) in this article.

Major Reasons Why People Struggle To Reduce A/C Usage

Lack Of Burglar Bars/Security Bars

Why would the presence of burglar bars be so important to cooling? I’ll tell you a brief story about a time I visited my uncle and aunt in Florida. When I arrived in Florida, I was provided with a bedroom and air conditioning.

However, one night, the cooled air wasn’t getting to my room for some reason. I was tempted to open my window, then I saw that it had no burglar bars. I was worried that a burglar could climb in through that big, low-level window very easily, so I didn’t bother. I had to lay in the hot, tightly locked room for the rest of the night.

I was accustomed to living without A/C at home because I had grilles and open windows covered with burglar bars. Grilles are a great way to keep the house locked while facilitating passive ventilation (wind), and horizontal rain can be kept out by simply closing a solid door behind the grille.

This made me realize that the millions of other people living without burglar bars are struggling to keep cool just because they are afraid to open their windows (which is perfectly understandable). The solution: Get quick-release burglar bars (they are usually just called ‘security bars’, as quick-release bars area already standard in the United States. This type of burglar bar enables you to open your windows with peace of mind, and to get through them in the event of a fire.

They can be purchased for less than $100.

Lack Of Grilles

Grilles serve the same purpose as burglar bars. They enable you to open the doors so you can let air in, but not criminals. Solution: Have a grille installed in front of your door. The grille also serves as an additional layer of protection, as burglars would have to try to bypass both your grille and door locks to get inside.

Bear in mind that you should switch your air conditioner off before opening the doors or windows. Air conditioners operate very inefficiently with doors and windows open, due to the warm air that periodically blows in from outside.

Share this article
Shareable URL
Prev Post

Sainsbury’s Supermarket Joins Google To Tackle The Issue Of Food Waste

Next Post

Thermoelectric Generator Developed For Army Exceeds 200W Design Goal

Leave a Reply

Read next
Subscribe to our newsletter
Get notified when new content is published