Scorching heatwaves, more and more intense droughts, wildfires and other weather extremes… the signs of the climate crisis are all around us. But sustainable cooling could help beat the heat while cutting emissions.
Rethinking how we stay cool could contribute to tackling today’s cooling paradox – in which heatwaves and extreme temperatures caused by the climate crisis send people in many parts of the world rushing to switch on air conditioning units, which release gases that contribute to climate change
What is sustainable cooling?
As our planet’s atmosphere warms, heatwaves, soaring temperatures, droughts and other weather extremes are becoming both more frequent and more intense.
Ambient cooling puts measures in place to help nature reduce the sun’s intensity, such as covering building roofs, balconies and other areas with plants and greenery to absorb heat, and fitting insulation and double glazing to block the sun’s heat.
In urban areas, adding green spaces, installing shade cover and planning wide urban streets and low buildings to increase wind flow-through, are among the many measures that help to reduce heat gain.
Sustainable cooling strategy #2: Innovation
Some sustainable innovations, as explained by organization Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), use no operational energy or refrigerants. These are sometimes referred to as nature-based or passive technology solutions.
For instance, WAVIN (MetroPolder), a World Economic Forum Uplink innovator, builds green roofs that capture and store rainwater, which is recycled for use in cities. Captured rainwater is used for everything from irrigating the greenery on the roof, flushing the building’s toilets, and cooling the building during summer heat.
Urban climate-tech start-up BioShade reimagines how cityscapes look and feel, using AI, IoT and hydroponic technologies to autonomously generate natural shade. Roofs, walls and urban spaces become green, living organisms that create a cooler microclimate.
Sustainable cooling can also leverage a more efficient use of refrigerants. These technologies use certain types of refrigerants (such as ultra-low Global Warming Potential (GWP) natural refrigerants) and depend on clean energy sources. Additionally, special features often help maximize the delivery of cool air, to save energy.
Sustainable cooling strategy #3: Policy & Finance
Driving progress on sustainable cooling requires a policy framework that encourages people, businesses and local governments to go green, including sustainable building codes and tax incentives, grants and subsidies to encourage take-up.
According to the UN, policymakers can incentivize businesses to create energy efficient cooling products, all while working sustainable cooling into climate pledges and ensuring that sustainable cooling is considered during the planning and design energy, urban, transport, agricultural and health service projects.
To be sure, finance for sustainable cooling technologies and initiatives is another must have. Many poorer households and rural communities are disproportionately impacted by extreme heat and have fewer resources to put energy-efficient or nature-based cooling solutions into place.
What impact can sustainable cooling have?
Of course, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution to scale sustainable cooling. Tackling this issue will require a combination of strategies and empowering local leaders to work quickly to craft lasting solutions that work for their locality.
But while these steps will take leaders of all stripes in the right direction, urgent action is needed to address the underlying causes of climate change to keep global temperatures within the Paris Agreement climate target.
This article was first published by the World Economic Forum.
