The
PHENND Update

  • Current
  • Categories
  • Archives
  • Search

    • New Report: Cooling People, Not Spaces: Surmounting the Risks of Air-Conditioning Over-Reliance

    Posted by Kleinman Center for Energy Policy on January 21, 2025

    The growing global demand for air conditioning is exacerbating carbon emissions. This trend will intensify unless alternative solutions are sought and massively adopted. Solutions already exist and new ones are emerging, but face barriers include technology, building design, education, finance, and policy.

    Key Challenge

    Overreliance on AC worsens climate change through energy use and refrigerant leaks, also harming health in low-income homes. Sustainable cooling solutions like passive design and hybrids exist but face adoption barriers—both technological and sociopolitical—limiting their impact.

    Policy Insight

    Key actions to address cooling barriers include updating standards to promote sustainable strategies, using market incentives to drive adoption, and raising awareness with education for architects, engineers, operators, and public campaigns on best practices.

    Read more.

    More in "New Resources"

    Stay Current in Philly's Higher Education and Nonprofit Sector

    We compile a weekly email with local events, resources, national conferences, calls for proposals, grant, volunteer and job opportunities in the higher education and nonprofit sectors.

    Subscribe