Amid the upcoming challenges and dangers of climate change, the HVAC industry will have to find innovative ways to decrease the consumption of resources responsible for Global warming. Global warming occurs when Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and greenhouse gases collect in the atmosphere and absorb sunlight and radiation. CO2 emissions and greenhouse gases trap the heat, which causes the planet to get hotter and this is called The greenhouse effect. According to Hannah Ritchie, and Max Roser, in an article titled, CO2 and Greenhouse gas emissions, an excess of CO2 emissions and greenhouse gases can have a drastic effect on the ecological climate.

"The changing climate has a range of potential ecological, physical and health impacts, including extreme weather events (Such as floods, droughts, storms, and heatwaves); sea-level rise; altered crop growth; and disrupted water systems." CO2, as the primary gas emitted through human industrialization, accounts for 82% of all greenhouse gases. According to the EPA, CO2 emissions from cars alone account for 34.2 percent of total U.S. pollutants. However, cars and coal are not the only contributors to global warming, air-conditioning units, commonly used in every office or home are partly to blame. Air-conditioners contain Hydro-fluorocarbons (HFCS), which is more potent than Carbon Dioxide. HFCs leak from air-conditioning units and emit fluoridated gases into the atmosphere, depleting the atmosphere's ozone layer. The Global challenge report of 2018, points out that our planet's temperature is continuously rising, and this issue is invariably linked to the increasing ownership of air-conditioning units.

“An IEA study suggests that the global average rate of household ownership of AC’s are expected to increase from just over 30% in 2016 to almost 67% in 2050.” And according to Will Housh, in an article titled, Is your AC affecting global warming? The ownership of AC accounts for most of the American population. "Air-conditioning presents other problems: As of 2009, nearly 90 percent of American homes have air-conditioners, which account for about 6 percent of all the country’s residential energy use. All of that air-conditioning releases about 100 million tons of carbon dioxide each year." America is the second greatest contributor to global warming and accounts for a staggering 15% of CO2 emissions in the world and China, containing 60% of the world's population emits 15% more CO2 per year. This is in stark contrast with Eastern Europe; Russia 4.7%, Turkey 1.2%, Ukraine 0.6%. Densely populated regions, such as China, emit the most CO2 and developed countries with the most urbanization have a higher level of CO2. As the demand for air-conditioning rises, the surface area temperature of the planet will continue to increase, rising at a rate between 2 degrees Celsius to 5 degrees Celsius by 2100. Making the rate today more exponential than the rate of the past century. "The average rate of change of global average surface temperature since 1901 is, 0.7C--0.9C per century. However, this rate of change has nearly doubled in the period since 1975 (1.5°C–1.8°C per century)"(See more about this, Here)

Because HFCs trap thousands of times as much heat in the atmosphere as Carbon Dioxide, new alternatives must be made to accentuate the chilling effects of AC on climate.

Although the chemicals used in air-conditioning have negative effects on the environment, air-conditioning has many health benefits which most notably assists in keeping a consistent temperature in the home while offering relief for asthma and other respiratory problems. According to Dr. Michelle Bell, in a study she conducted regarding the adverse effects of particulate air pollution, Bell found a link between mortality rates and the exposure to the fine particulate (Pollutants) in the air. The results of the study also found that air-conditioning is inversely connected to a decrease in cardiovascular problems and respiratory effects, such as; asthma, heart attacks, and bronchitis. However, these correlations can only benefit those who maintain their air-conditioning units because less regular upkeep of their systems can lead to HFC leakage.

The HVAC industry can alleviate the planet of the impending threats of AC by focusing on high-efficiency systems, which can drastically decrease carbon emissions. Studies have found that a ground source heat pump is the most effective of all environmentally friendly solutions. The ground source heat pump uses water that is stored underground for the input and output of heating and cooling.

Because air-conditioning systems help improve the overall health of the growing population, it's a tantamount technology that still needs innovation. As the HVAC industry focuses on new and improved ways for dealing with the environmental effects of AC units, millions of homes, cars, and offices will continue to benefit from this glorious gem of modern society.

The Chilling Effects of AC on Climate