Insights Brief: Space Cooling

Increasing energy consumption for space cooling is a growing concern. Space cooling demand is on the rise for a number of reasons, including an increasing desire for, and ability to afford, the thermal comfort provided by air conditioning; rising populations in countries with warmer climates and population shifts within countries from colder to warmer regions; higher average temperatures and greater frequency of extreme temperatures due to local heat-island effects and climate change; changes in building design and a shift from heavy materials such as stone or brick to materials with less thermal mass such as wood or composites; and an increasing quantity of personal electronic devices, appliances and office equipment in buildings that generate heat as a by-product. There are two key space cooling opportunities: increasing cooling thermal comfort and reducing the energy used to provide that cooling. While many discussions start with the goal of reducing the energy used for cooling, long-term benefits can also be achieved by increasing cooling thermal comfort while reducing the need for space cooling. Both opportunities enable multiple benefits: lower energy bills, fewer electricity capacity constraints and less use of climate-warming refrigerants. The choice of energy efficiency policies and technologies to address space cooling demand should be made using life-cycle calculations that account for the multiple benefits of energy efficiency. Policies and technologies should enable greater increased thermal comfort while reducing the total energy consumed.