Latest news with #airconditioners
CBC
14-07-2025
- General
- CBC
Toronto is installing AC units for senior tenants, but some say it's not enough
Toronto is working to install portable air conditioners for low-income tenants. CBC's Mercedes Gaztambide speaks to some tenants on what solutions they want to see from the city.
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
City installing AC units for seniors as Toronto sizzles under another heat warning
As Toronto deals with another heat warning this summer, the city is installing air conditioner units for seniors as part of a new pilot program. The city launched the pilot program in May to provide free portable air conditioners to low-income, vulnerable seniors. Since early this month, more than 380 portable air conditioner units have been delivered to seniors across Toronto, the city said in a release. Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow said at a news conference Monday that the pilot program is a start, but it's "nowhere near enough." "Many deaths were recorded in the last 10, 20 years because of heat waves, so having air conditioning helps, especially for the most vulnerable seniors," said Chow. Chow said the pilot program is a $200,000 initiative outlined in the city's 2025 budget and will result in 500 air conditioner units being provided to low-income seniors across the city. She said she's looking into whether she can mandate landlords to install air conditioners in every apartment in the city. Toronto's executive director of environment, climate and forestry, James Nowlan, said at the news conference that the program received over 1,400 applicants, and the air conditioner units were assigned to seniors through a lottery system. Chow said the lottery ensures "fairness," as the city has only 500 AC units to provide. The news conference comes as parts of the Greater Toronto Area is under an air quality warning on Monday, alongside an ongoing heat warning in the region. Chow said the seniors who don't have air conditioners in their homes should use fans, stay hydrated, and visit cool rooms, if needed. She said there are over 500 cool rooms around the city, including at libraries and community centres.
CBC
14-07-2025
- Climate
- CBC
City installing AC units for seniors as Toronto sizzles under another heat warning
As Toronto deals with another heat warning this summer, the city is installing air conditioner units for seniors as part of a new pilot program. The city launched the pilot program in May to provide free portable air conditioners to low-income, vulnerable seniors. Since early this month, more than 380 portable air conditioner units have been delivered to seniors across Toronto, the city said in a release. Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow said at a news conference Monday that the pilot program is a start, but it's "nowhere near enough." "Many deaths were recorded in the last 10, 20 years because of heat waves, so having air conditioning helps, especially for the most vulnerable seniors," said Chow. Chow said the pilot program is a $200,000 initiative outlined in the city's 2025 budget and will result in 500 air conditioner units being provided to low-income seniors across the city. She said she's looking into whether she can mandate landlords to install air conditioners in every apartment in the city. Units assigned through a lottery system Toronto's executive director of environment, climate and forestry, James Nowlan, said at the news conference that the program received over 1,400 applicants, and the air conditioner units were assigned to seniors through a lottery system. Chow said the lottery ensures "fairness," as the city has only 500 AC units to provide. The news conference comes as parts of the Greater Toronto Area is under an air quality warning on Monday, alongside an ongoing heat warning in the region. Chow said the seniors who don't have air conditioners in their homes should use fans, stay hydrated, and visit cool rooms, if needed. She said there are over 500 cool rooms around the city, including at libraries and community centres.
CTV News
14-07-2025
- Business
- CTV News
India wants air conditioners to be made with milder temperature settings to save energy
BENGALURU, India — India's government is seeking to limit temperature settings on new air conditioners to save electricity in the country that considered the fastest-growing market for them. The power minister proposed a rule in June requiring air conditioners sold in the country to have thermostats that can be set no lower than 20 Celsius (68 Fahrenheit). Officials hope the small change will create massive energy savings in the country of more than 1.4 billion people. About 10 million to 15 million air conditioners are sold annually as incomes and urbanization increase along with the temperatures. The current lowest setting is 17 C (62 F). Officials say each degree an air conditioner is turned up saves about 6% on energy. Reaction to the change is mixed Energy experts said the proposal is a positive step, but that requiring units to be more energy efficient would help more. Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said the proposed rule would take effect soon but wasn't specific about timing. The proposal has gotten mixed reviews from people living in India's sweltering cities. 'Overall, I think it's good to try and save energy, but at the same time I hope the government makes sure people are not too inconvenienced,' said Vikram Kannan, a 37-year-old teacher who lives in the humid southern city of Chennai with his wife and 4-year-old daughter. 'Sometimes there is no choice but to set a low air conditioner temperature in cities like Chennai because it's just way too hot and humid. My daughter gets heat pimples at times if we don't do this.' Air conditioners are fast becoming some of the biggest energy guzzlers in India. Room air conditioners accounted for as much as one quarter of the electricity needed in India during times of the highest usage in 2024, a measure known as peak demand, according to estimates by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley. New AC units added between 2019 and 2024 have increased India's peak demand by an amount roughly equivalent to what it would take to power New Delhi for a year, the researchers estimated. Energy demand is typically highest during the summer when temperatures can reach 51 degrees Celsius (124 degrees Fahrenheit) in parts of the country. If changes are not made, India is expected to have power shortages by next year. India's hunger for energy is also a key reason the country is one of the highest emitters of planet-heating gases. Clean energy use is growing, but most of India's electricity is provided by climate-polluting fossil fuels such as coal. Nikit Abhyankar, a leader of the India Energy and Climate Center at the University of California, Berkley, said that Delhi, like other major Indian cities, now experiences dual peaks in electricity use — one in the afternoon and another around midnight — driven largely by air conditioners. While solar energy can help offset daytime demand, nighttime cooling still relies heavily on fossil fuels. Rule changes can nudge consumers to use less energy The air conditioner proposal is the latest in a series of government measures over the past decade aimed at saving energy, such as mandating that government offices be cooled at no less than 24 degrees Celsius (75 degrees Fahrenheit). In 2022, the government launched the Mission Life program that includes public service messages encouraging people to reduce emissions by cutting electricity use or skipping unnecessary car trips. The initiative announced with much fanfare has received mixed responses. Some are supportive of the proposed change to air conditioner settings. Sunil Kumar, a 47-year-old from East Delhi, said the rule could prevent fire hazards and lower bills. 'People used to live without air conditioners. We can adjust,' said Kumar, who drives a small commercial vehicle known as a tuk-tuk. New Delhi-based businessperson Surjeet Singh said turning air conditioners down to their current lowest setting was 'unnecessary.' 'People have gotten too comfortable,' he said, suggesting that cities invest in planting trees to tackle urban heat. Indian air conditioners are inefficient Abhyankar, the California professor, said that while changing temperature settings will help, requiring air conditioners to be energy efficient would do more. 'Tightening the minimum efficiency standards can change things pretty significantly,' said Abhyankar, who has also studied the energy sector in the U.S., China, Indonesia and Vietnam. Calling the proposed air conditioner rule a 'step in the right direction,' Pramod Singh, an energy savings expert with New Delhi-based Alliance for an Energy Efficient Economy, said replacing the country's estimated 80 million older generation, inefficient air conditioners is a key challenge for the government. Many units available in India are so inefficient they couldn't be sold in many other countries, Abhyankar said. 'Although India imports most key components for its air conditioners from China, nearly 80 per cent of the air conditioners that are currently sold in India would be banned in China,' he said. Energy experts said other small changes can reduce energy use and customer costs, such as making sure new buildings have adequate ventilation, combining air conditioners with other cooling methods and using smart technologies to run air conditioners. 'Air conditioner use reduces significantly if users also run their ceiling fans, as the room cools much faster,' said Abhyankar. Sibi Arasu, The Associated Press
The Independent
14-07-2025
- Business
- The Independent
India wants to limit temperature settings on air conditioners to save on energy
India 's government is proposing a new rule to limit the lowest temperature setting on new air conditioners to 20C, aiming to conserve electricity in the country's rapidly growing AC market. The initiative seeks to curb the significant energy consumption by air conditioners, which are major contributors to India's peak electricity demand and greenhouse gas emissions, with potential power shortages anticipated by next year. While the power minister, Manohar Lal Khattar, stated the rule would take effect soon, the proposal has received mixed reactions from the public in India's hot cities. Energy experts suggest that while the temperature limit is a positive step, mandating more energy-efficient AC units would yield greater savings and address the issue more effectively. India faces the challenge of replacing an estimated 80 million older, inefficient air conditioners, many of which would be banned in other countries due to their high energy consumption.
