Similarly,
What real impact air conditioning?:
When the thermometer climbs, their sales explode … Similarly, One in four French home was already equipped with an air conditioning system in 2020. For example, according to ADEME which predicts, by 2050, that in two accommodation has installed such a device. Furthermore, If in some countries accustomed to hot weather (Japan. For example, China, United States), the equipment rate can reach 90 %, in France, the rise in power has accelerated in favor of the scorching episodes of recent years, more frequent and more intense.
In a 2021 survey. For example, almost six in ten French people (58 %) said they preferred to “suffer from heat rather than installing an air conditioner to protect the environment”. Similarly, Half even consider that air conditioners should be purely and simply prohibited because of their ecological impact. Nevertheless, But in the last week of June, during what real impact air conditioning? the heat wave, sales of fans jumped + 253.9 % and air conditioners of + 612.2 %.
Electricity gourmet – What real impact air conditioning?
If air conditioning appears to be an effective short -term solution to improve the comfort of housing during heat waves. Nevertheless, it generates an insidious phenomenon. Consequently, In town, it largely contributes to the worsening of the heat island effect. Furthermore, By rejecting hot air outside, these devices increase the temperature of the ambient air. For example, A study by CNRS. Furthermore, Météo France published in the journal “International Journal of Climatology” noted that in Paris, if the air conditioning park doubled, the increase in temperature would be 2 ° C.
The Building Scientific. Technical Center (CSTB) conducted a study entitled Renoptim on 80 dwellings, including around twenty located in Bordeaux, on the improvement of summer comfort. “Everything that is active must be used as a last resort. ” insists Alexandra Lebert, director what real impact air conditioning? of the strategic action and research pole. Additionally, “Rapid deployment of air conditioning is an absolutely counterproductive strategy at the collective level. »»
Limited carbon impact but …
From an environmental point of view. the total carbon impact of an individual air conditioner is estimated at around 422 kg CO2, over a lifespan of six years. It is ultimately less than an refrigerator. since its use is often limited to a rather short season, but more than a television.
On the other hand, this equipment is rather energy delicious. According to ADEME. an air conditioner consumes approximately 304 kWh of electricity per year on average when a washing machine requires 100 kWh. The national strategy of adaptation to climate change published last March by the Ministry of Ecological Transition underlines that “individual air conditioners. and in particular mobile air conditioners, often chosen for their apparent simplicity, combine the drawbacks, including low energy what real impact air conditioning? efficiency. »»
But this is the question of refrigerants of air conditioners that poses the largest environmental challenge. These hydrofluorocarbons (HFC) have an estimated warming power between 1,300 and 3,260 times higher than CO2. In the life of an air conditioning. they can escape several stages: manufacturing, maintenance, leaks during use or at the end of life. In the end. emissions linked to these fluids are more than twice as important as those due to its electricity consumption.
Sun protection and ventilation, alternatives
So how can we avoid using air conditioning? “Ventilation allows an extraordinary gain: it makes the temperature felt in the accommodation fall by -3 ° C,” says Alexandra Lebert. “Air brewers sometimes have a obsolete image. but they are very interesting for the household budget because they cost less and consume very little electricity”.
Another alternative, less known, the adiabatic cooler that refreshes air via water evaporation (stored in bins) what real impact air conditioning? and ventilation. This technique, deployed in the industrial sector, was adapted for individuals. A device costs around 200 euros, and its electricity consumption is half less than that of a mobile air conditioner.
“The first solution in the face of heat is the sun protection devices” recalls Alexandra Lebert. “In our study. we found that during a heat wave, 70 % of the inhabitants we followed had changed their habits to limit the effects of heat. They lowered the shutters during the day, they opened the windows at night. But a third of people have changed anything. You really have to remind everyone of these essential gestures … “
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