Due to the erratic nature of renewable energy generation and the lack of electric vehicles available in Australia, the strides we have taken to replace fossil fuel-based energy have been small. As a consumer, it can feel like where we get our energy from is out of our control, particularly with the cost associated with electric vehicles, solar panels, and solar stationary battery systems.

Fortunately, our options are opening up.

While it appears that the Federal Government is not committing to Net Zero Emissions by 2050, most of the private sector are doing their part to reach this goal. This is because, in many cases, it’s essential for their business, but also because it’s actually not that difficult to achieve.

So, what role does HVAC play in a Zero Emission Economy?

To reduce our impact on the planet, there are changes we all must make in our everyday lives. When it comes to the temperature we set our air conditioning at, these changes may actually work out in our favour.

The spread of COVID-19 within hotel quarantine facilities has gained considerable public attention lately. The general consensus is that these hotels were never designed for disease containment. However, are the air-conditioning and ventilation systems in any hotel designed to prevent the spread of disease?

Unlike the air conditioning industry which has seen significant improvements in energy efficiency standards through multiple iterations of the NCC, cold rooms have had almost no advancements in terms of technology or energy efficiency.

Air-conditioning reduces the temperature down to comfort conditions, however in the tropics this is generally at or below the ambient dew point temperature. This means that when the ambient outdoor air is introduced into the air-conditioned space, the moisture in the air condenses into water droplets on any surfaces that are at or below the dew point.

Achieving a healthy indoor environmental quality with effective air conditioning and ventilation isn't always as clean-cut as the NCC and the Australian Standards' framework suggests. With the arrival of La Niña, the theory behind 'tropic-proofing' is about to be put to the test.