[Youngian]

A good overview of architectural and planning deficiencies in combatting extreme heat. The report isn’t anti aircon but the wasteful inefficient technology available on the mass market. I have a spray bottle that cost me a pound and if things get really hot I might turn on a fan while I spray cold water on myself.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Inevitably, an area with the potential for emissions to rise fast will get a lot of attention. But A/C shouldn't be a long term problem, because it's purely a matter of electricity supply, unlike some highly polluting industrial processes (where carbon capture will probably be necessary). And it should be fairly straightforward to balance A/C use with high solar energy production. So I don't quite the concern with A/C.

[Killer Whale]

A friend of mine points out that AC is just air source heat pump running backwards. I'm not sure how you would get one unit to do both, mind.

[Boiler]

A friend of mine points out that AC is just air source heat pump running backwards. I'm not sure how you would get one unit to do both, mind.

Indeed it is, and I can't believe it's beyond the wit of man to come up with an essentially bi-directional unit?

[The Weeping Angel]

[Tubby Isaacs]

What's causing the A/C panic? It's like they want A/C to become another part of the culture war or something.

[The Weeping Angel]

I don't know, I was listening to an episode of the Abundance Agenda, which had a feature on the British hatred of a/c on this.

[Youngian]

Aircon isn’t popular across Europe. Partly climate but even Spain, white houses with thick walls and passive ventilation design keeps internal temperatures down. The traditional round African mud hut is a by word for primitive but apparently extremely good at combating temperature build ups.

[The Weeping Angel]

Unfortunately, I can't see people here wanting to live in mud huts. Well, maybe George Monbiot. If we're happy to embrace heat pumps, then we can embrace a/c.

[Youngian]

I'm trying to make the point that architectual methods designed to keep buildings cool are not new or complex concepts. I at no point suggested living in a mud hut.
Also there is no 'we' concensus about using heat pumps as they're expensive, noisy and not always effective.

[Killer Whale]

Also there is no 'we' concensus about using heat pumps as they're expensive, noisy and not always effective.

One of the issues is that we're habitually retro-fitting them into systems as direct replacements for oil or gas boilers. This is never going to work effectively.

[Boiler]

Don't worry, Simon Jenkins is here to defend Brontë country against the scourge of the wind turbine!!

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... ate-crisis

A few recent comments:

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[The Weeping Angel]

[Boiler]

A lot of heritage railways are no longer running steam because of the risk of lineside fires. I don't know if the Keighley and Worth Valley is one of them - which runs between Haworth and Oxenhope.