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Building Services 2

BLD 60503

Individual Assignment

Ways Air Conditioning System Can


Enhance Green Technology

Name: Ee Hui Teng

Student ID: 0322548

Course: Bachelor (Hons) in Quantity Surveying

Tutorial: Section 2

Word Count: 1379 words


Ways Air Conditioning System Can Enhance Green Technology

Green technology is a type of technology which is applied to mitigate or reverse


the negative effects of human involve and activities on the environment. It involves the
evolution of processes and materials to generate daily used products that are more
environmental friendly by means of less energy consumption and generating non-toxic
or recyclable products. Green technology aims to fulfil the needs of society without
damaging or depleting any natural resources, contribute to the 3R (reduce, reuse and
recycle) initiatives and create an economic activity that involves technology and
products that benefits the environment. The technology is mainly subjected in 5 areas
namely energy, green building, environmentally preferred purchasing, green chemistry
and green nanotechnology. 1 Aligning with the initiatives of developing the Green
Industry in Malaysia, the National Green Technology Policy was introduced on 24 th
July 2009 by the government which is based on 4 pillars: Energy, Environment,
Economy and Social. The objectives of the policy is to minimize energy consumption,
facilitate growth of green technology industry, increase the nations capability and
capacity for innovation in the industry, ensure sustainable development and enhance
public awareness on green technology.2

Air conditioning system is a system that involves the process of eliminating heat
and humidity in a confined space while cooling the air. The system is used to achieve
thermal comfort or to cool or dehumidify rooms occupied with devices or machineries
that generates heat. In general, air conditioning refers to any form of technology that
modifies the condition of air. There are three types of air conditioning system namely
unitary system which is for domestic use only, packaged system for two rooms or large
spaces and centralized system that is incorporated in large buildings. In addition of
straining the nations power station, air conditioners possess as a great threat to our
mother Earth due to it being the primary cause of global warming. 3 Chlorofluorocarbon
(CFC) is being used as a refrigerant in air conditioners. This compound is responsible
for the thinning of ozone layer as it contains chlorine atom that can break down the

1
Green-technology.org. (2015). What Is Green Technology?. [online] Available at: https://www.green-
technology.org/what.htm [Accessed 25 May 2017].
2
Anon, (n.d.). The National Green Technology Policy. [online] Available at:
http://portal.ppj.gov.my/c/document_library/get_file?p_l_id=17335&folderId=27605&name=DLFE-4709.pdf
[Accessed 25 May 2017].
3
Dahl, R. (2013). Environmental Impacts of Air Conditioners. [online] Medscape. Available at:
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/778174_2 [Accessed 26 May 2017].

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ozone molecule into oxygen molecules.4 This destructive can be repeated over and
over again by the some chlorine atom and eventually destroys the ozone layer. This
then causes several health issues as the ozone acts as a protective layer from the UV
rays. As this issue has arose, various solutions have been proposed to function air
conditioners using green technology.

Thermally-driven chiller

Living in a country filled with sunshine throughout the year, solar energy is a
renewable source of energy that we never lack of. Chromasun, a company based in
Australia had invented a thermally-driven chiller which is a cheaper alternative to
conventional electrically driven air conditioners. These chillers make use of solar
energy to operate the air conditioners. The company has proposed its solar panels,
the Chromasun MCT Panels, which is capable of driving a double-effect chiller that
has the potential to provide better cooling than the normal system that makes it the
most effective system. 5 Other than being more effective and efficient, the system
eliminates expensive electricity bills as it is mainly dependant on solar energy. This
shows that not only that it does not cause harm to our environment, it helps to save
our electricity bills too. This system is also reliable as the thermally driven chillers have

4
Stratospheric Ozone: Background Material. 2017. Stratospheric Ozone: Background Material. [ONLINE]
Available at: https://www.ucar.edu/learn/1_6_1.htm. [Accessed 26 May 2017].
5
HVAC Classes. 2013. 7 Green Technologies That Are Changing HVAC. [ONLINE] Available at:
http://www.hvacclasses.org/blog/green-technologies-changing-hvac. [Accessed 27 May 2017]

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few moving parts and a far longer design life than electrically driven mechanical vapour
compressors.6 In addition to that, Chromasun MCT Panels can still function during
raining seasons or winter in foreign countries as the energy source can be replaced
by cheap natural gas. The system is not constricted by peak summer demand
limitations too. Therefore, thermally-driven or solar air conditioner is one of the ways
for air conditioning system to enhance green technology.

Cloud cast technology

Air conditioners play a huge part in our lives. Regardless numerous effort made
by green supporters to raise awareness on the negative impacts of air conditioner
usage, the air conditioning system still plays an important and irreplaceable role in
enclosed buildings such as offices, shopping malls and sometimes to the extent of
open spaces. Therefore, various parties are constantly seeking for a solution to make
air conditioners more effective and efficient. However, the Cloud Cast Technology is
nothing like anything that we have seen before. This energy-efficient air conditioning
system that follows you around like a puppy, making sure that the space around you
is as cool as you want it to be. Do you remember watching an unlucky character from
cartoons constantly followed by a cloud and bothered by the rain? The Cloud Cast
Technology is inspired by it but instead of being bothered, the cloud keeps you cool

6
Chromasun. 2013. Chromasun. [ONLINE] Available at: http://chromasun.com/CHW.html. [Accessed 27 May
2017].

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and comfortable. The system is made of aluminium rod fixed with ultrasonic sensors
that is able to detect the presence of people under it. When a person and his speed is
detected, the hydro-valves are then activated to release mist to cool that person down.
7 This shows that the system does the work more efficient than those conventional air
conditioners as it works only on a human-sized space which helps to save lots of
energy. Not only that, the system could even be implemented outdoors as it does not
consume much energy.8 In short, the Cloud Cast Technology is definitely a great step
as an air conditioning system that enhances green technology.

Ice Bear

Ice is a solid form of water which is commonly used to cool drinks. However,
with the latest invention by Ice Energy, a company based in Calif, not only can ice cool
drinks, but it can also be used to cool entire homes. The invention, namely Ice Bear is
an ice-powered air conditioning unit that can be used to cool buildings. Even though
these ice powered air conditioners still consume electricity, this system will cut down
the monthly energy costs significantly. The air conditioner operates by freezing 450
gallons of water in a tank at night and making it as a refrigerant that cools down the

7
The Green Optimistic. 2017. Energy-Efficient Air Conditioning System from MIT Knows Where You Are - The
Green Optimistic. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.greenoptimistic.com/energy-efficient-air-conditioning-
mit/#.WSjwfOuGPX7. [Accessed 27 May 2017].
8
Peter Shadbolt, for CNN. 2017. Cloud Cast: the cooling cloud that follows you - CNN.com. [ONLINE] Available
at: http://edition.cnn.com/2015/02/11/tech/mca-cloud-cast/. [Accessed 27 May 2017].

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building the following day.9 After all the ice has melted, the job of cooling reverts back
to the building's conventional commercial air conditioning unit, which shows that the
Ice Bear works in conjunction with a conventional unit. This technology not only
improves the efficiency of the air conditioner and being cost effective, it is also eco-
friendly. The system is proven to reduce carbon dioxide emissions up to 40% and
nitrogen oxide emissions up to 56%. Other than that, it does not use any hazardous
or toxic material like chemical batteries which will arise disposal issues too. 10
Therefore, ice powered air conditioning system enhances green technology.

In a nutshell, air conditioning system can boost green technology by using


thermally driven chillers, utilizing the Cloud Cast Technology and implementing Ice
Bear system. It is not what technology does to us, it is what we do to technology. Get
smart with technology, choose wisely and use it in a way that benefits both you and
those around you. As Albert Einstein has once said it has become appallingly obvious
that our technology has exceeded our humanity, it is important for us to utilise green
technology in air conditioning systems to minimize the damages it causes to our
environment.

9
HVAC Classes. 2013. 7 Green Technologies That Are Changing HVAC. [ONLINE] Available at:
http://www.hvacclasses.org/blog/green-technologies-changing-hvac. [Accessed 27 May 2017]
10
Ice Energy. 2016. Technology - Ice Energy. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.ice-energy.com/technology/.
[Accessed 27 May 2017]

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References

1. Anon, (n.d.). The National Green Technology Policy. [online] Available at:
http://portal.ppj.gov.my/c/document_library/get_file?p_l_id=17335&folderId=2
7605&name=DLFE-4709.pdf [Accessed 25 May 2017].
2. Chromasun. 2013. Chromasun. [ONLINE] Available at:
http://chromasun.com/CHW.html. [Accessed 27 May 2017].
3. Dahl, R. (2013). Environmental Impacts of Air Conditioners. [online] Medscape.
Available at: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/778174_2 [Accessed 26
May 2017].
4. Green-technology.org. (2015). What Is Green Technology?. [online] Available
at: https://www.green-technology.org/what.htm [Accessed 25 May 2017].
5. HVAC Classes. 2013. 7 Green Technologies That Are Changing HVAC.
[ONLINE] Available at: http://www.hvacclasses.org/blog/green-technologies-
changing-hvac. [Accessed 27 May 2017].
6. Ice Energy. 2016. Technology - Ice Energy. [ONLINE] Available at:
https://www.ice-energy.com/technology/. [Accessed 27 May 2017]
7. Peter Shadbolt, for CNN. 2017. Cloud Cast: the cooling cloud that follows you
- CNN.com. [ONLINE] Available at:
http://edition.cnn.com/2015/02/11/tech/mca-cloud-cast/. [Accessed 27 May
2017].
8. Stratospheric Ozone: Background Material. 2017. Stratospheric Ozone:
Background Material. [ONLINE] Available at:
https://www.ucar.edu/learn/1_6_1.htm. [Accessed 26 May 2017].
9. The Green Optimistic. 2017. Energy-Efficient Air Conditioning System from MIT
Knows Where You Are - The Green Optimistic. [ONLINE] Available at:
https://www.greenoptimistic.com/energy-efficient-air-conditioning-
mit/#.WSjwfOuGPX7. [Accessed 27 May 2017].

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