Have you ever experienced turning your air conditioner on during a hot summer day and realized it’s taking too long to cool down your room’s temperature? Well, the solution is quite simple, according to some experts.
Findings on cooling and energy efficiency
In an article first published in the Strait Times, experts in a heat forum found that turning your AC unit at a higher temperature than you intended while turning your fan on can make you feel cooler on a hot day. At the same time, you’re conserving energy.
This was uncovered after a pilot “hybrid solution” was conducted in an office space in the Zero Energy Plus Building at the BCA Academy in Singapore.
The research, first published in 2023, involved researchers exposing office occupants for over 11 weeks in two indoor conditions. The first condition is the control, where they set the thermostat to cool the space at a lower temperature of 24 degrees Celsius. The other is they put the AC to a little higher temperature of 26.5 degrees Celsius, this time, with ceiling fans running.
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The study, led by the Berkeley Education Alliance for Research in Singapore, found that the two scenarios produce similar comfort levels. Also, using the air conditioner and electric fan in combination uses 30% less energy than using the AC alone.
Professor Stefano Schiavon, an architecture and civil and environmental engineering professor at the University of California, Berkeley, presented the findings on January 7, 2025, during the First Global Heat Health Information Network (GHHIN) Southeast Asia Heat Forum.
Other cooling solutions and approaches were discussed during the four-day conference involving heat health scientists, weather experts, and policymakers. This type of discussion is critical in finding ways to optimize thermal comfort amid climate change while conserving energy, especially in humid areas like the Philippines.
Related findings in the Philippines
While the literature was recently published, the method is not entirely new, as it was already included in a previous Meralco article on energy efficiency tips. According to Meralco, a household’s electricity bill can usually go up by up to 40% due to extended cooling appliances use.
The power utility company recommended using an electric fan or an air cooler to boost your air-conditioner and cool the room faster while reducing the AC’s workload.
Meralco also calculated that this method can save approximately Php175.20 per month, especially during hot summers.
Have you used this strategy in the past, and how was your energy bill? Please share your thoughts in the comments.