ASU says running AC Units makes the valley hotter!

Covert Rain

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Interesting enough there are some industries looking at building design from the middle east to use on future building designs here. It involves vents that capture hot air, pump through the ground under the building which is cooler then releasing that air into the building cooling them. They say it has the potential to cut down on A/C use worldwide.
 
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Mainstreet

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Interesting enough there are some industries looking at building design from the middle east to use on future building designs here. It involves vents that capture hot air, pump through the ground under the building which is cooler then releasing that air into the building cooling them. They say it has the potential to cut down on A/C use worldwide.

I remember a television program where it showed a house connected to an old well or mind shaft that cooled the house.

It's not that complicated. It takes some extra thought and work, which more than makes up for it.
 

dreamcastrocks

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It's just math. If you make 20,000 cubic feet of air 20 degrees colder inside, you're making 20,000 cubic feet of air 20 degrees hotter outside.
Exactly. I'm more surprised ASU needed this study and we needed a news story about it.

except that it isn't just math, but also physics. :D
 

Finito

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It's just math. If you make 20,000 cubic feet of air 20 degrees colder inside, you're making 20,000 cubic feet of air 20 degrees hotter outside.

Pretty much. When I first got in the business and your learning how a system works it’s pretty much new air in old air out.
 
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Yuma

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But wait, I have been told by many that humans CANNOT change nature enough to warm the environment?
 

dreamcastrocks

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Don't worry. My wife and kids leave the doors open all the time so I'm actually cooling the city.
Haha.

Although in reality, you are still warming the city. Let's say you have a good AC unit that cools the air inside 20 degrees, which then heats the air outside right around 20 degrees for a net wash. Then factor in that you are having to use more AC to cool the air that escaped outside, creating more hot air etc.

I'm a nerd.
 

dscher

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Haha.

Although in reality, you are still warming the city. Let's say you have a good AC unit that cools the air inside 20 degrees, which then heats the air outside right around 20 degrees for a net wash. Then factor in that you are having to use more AC to cool the air that escaped outside, creating more hot air etc.

I'm a nerd.
Knowing about AC efficiency living in AZ should be something to absolutely nerd out on. Lol
 

Mainstreet

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I don't think there is any long term escape from climate change.

It reminds me of some required reading in high school, "On the Beach" by Nevil Shute, where people try to escape from spreading radiation.

The scenario is different but the idea is similar.
 
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