Water takes the heat off Hong Kong air-con

Using water to cool non-domestic air-conditioning systems could have reduced outside air temperatures by as much as 1.5°C during a heatwave in Hong Kong, researchers have found.

The study shows that water-cooled air-conditioning units are not only more energy-efficient, but also relieve the anthropogenic “urban heat island” effect, which sees cities have greater ambient temperatures than the countryside.

“We cannot ignore the effect of air-conditioning systems on the city environment,” said Yi Wang of the University of Hong Kong. […]

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