Technology

3 Trends in Air Conditioning to Watch in 2021

The future of air conditioning is already here.

This year has seen lots of improvements to consumer electronics and home appliances. But the most exciting of them all is the ongoing progress of air conditioning features.

Some of these are conspicuous, plainly visible advertising done by the companies producing such units. Others demand a more thorough search since the innovations could be exclusive to specific niches, such as people in single-family dwellings. But they’re all easily found online, where current and soon-to-be perks make their way to the general public.

An air conditioning solution may stem from issues brought about by the average consumer. The following trends appeal to average residences, including homes, apartments, and condos. Find the innovation that you think would benefit energy savings and carbon footprint the most.

1. More Connectivity

By now, most people are familiar with the improvements made by AC units and the way most automate themselves. But did you know that there are ACs capable of syncing with your smartphone, laptop, smartTV, and even widgets and applications within them? The future of air conditioning is one of more connectivity.

Integration is an innovation commonly found in new AC units. This year alone, WiFi-enabled ACs were some of the most sold units of all. You can expect the technology to improve itself to the point where there won’t be any reason to operate an AC at all, even when the temperature fluctuates by a large margin on the same day. There will be no more pressing buttons on a thermostat. Everything will operate by other electronic devices that are already in your possession.

2. Harnessing the Power of the Earth to Cool Your Home

A conventional air conditioner provides cool air through refrigerants, which take out the moisture and transfers air lower in temperature than the air outside. The process involves a simple change of humidity. Unfortunately, this isn’t a great way to save on energy costs since the power needed in a standard AC comes from electricity. Keeping a home cool this way can sometimes be expensive.

But beginning this year, trends indicate that ACs built in this manner will become obsolete at a pace much sooner than was once thought. Geothermal air conditioning involves cooling homes with tubing that runs underneath their surface, either directly in the ground or by a nearby body of water.

Since the ground beneath the earth stays about the same in any location bearing soil, water can pass underground with an extension of pipes until its temperature cools down from the warmer air above it, which then passes through the walls and floors. The concept creates a natural refrigerant, one capable

of lowering energy costs by over 70 percent.

3. Automated Troubleshooting and Monitoring

When you have a problem with your PC or laptop, the operating system you use lets you know when application updates are advisable and when issues are present, such as a virus. With more computerized ACs will come better monitoring hardware and software. You’ll be able to tell when filters should be changed or even when the ducts are becoming dirty.

Everyone loves innovative ways to cuts energy costs in as simple a manner as possible. And this is the year that air conditioning technology has progressed ahead of the hand-operated thermostats of yesteryear. In time, these features will grow and become commonplace in nearly every household.

Christopher Stern

Christopher Stern is a Washington-based reporter. Chris spent many years covering tech policy as a business reporter for renowned publications. He has extensive experience covering Congress, the Federal Communications Commission, and the Federal Trade Commissions. He is a graduate of Middlebury College. Email:[email protected]

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