Image: Coolerado

Recent innovations in air conditioning technology could save customers over 50 percent on their cooling bills. Air conditioner manufacturer Coolerado recently won the Western Cooling Challenge, sponsored by UC Davis, with a unit designed specially for the hot, arid environments of the western U.S. While most air conditioners are actually designed for muggy climates of the East Coast, the Coolerado H-80 system uses a form of indirect evaporative cooling which humidifies outside air and then de-humidifies it through a series of plastic plates.

The innovation could prove to be a major tool in combating climate change in California, where air conditioning typically accounts for 30% of peak summer demand. According to Mark Modera, director of the UC Davis Western Cooling Efficiency Center, “…the Coolerado H-80 tests indicate almost 80 percent energy-use savings and over 60 percent peak-demand reduction.”

The H-80 was designed principally for light commercial buildings but Coolerado also offers models suitable for homes and other buildings, each with an EER (energy-efficiency ratio) of 40 or more.

• Read background: “Coolerado Wins UC Davis Air Conditioning Prize,” by Michael Kanellos, Greentech Media (8/17/09)
• Visit the Coolerado web site
• Learn more about efficient air conditioners