Field assessment of the urban density of air conditioning use in the United Kingdom in non domestic buildings

Jorge A.J. Caeiro, The Bartlett School of Graduate Studies, University College London
Neil Brown, Institute of Energy and Sustainable Development, De Montfort University, Leicester, United Kingdom
Hasim Altan, School of Architecture, Building Energy Analysis Unit, The University of Sheffield, United Kingdom

Keywords

air conditioning, non domestic buildings, energy efficiency, climate change

Abstract

Increasing sales of air conditioning (AC) will exacerbate future heat waves, paradoxically with positive feedback, since the resulting augmented emission of greenhouse effect gases will in turn contribute to global warming. According to a research study carried out in 2000 (Hitchin, E.R et al), the total air-conditioned UK building area, under both cooling and reverse systems, was estimated to have almost doubled over the previous decade and is projected to nearly double again by 2020. This has now become an urgent concern. However the estimated increase is based on sales data and the detailed patterns of increase in urban density of air conditioning use in service and retail sectors in the UK are largely unknown. Energy use information was collected from a major study carried out in the early 1990s. Since then there have been many changes in these sectors, with shifts in location patterns, and increased use of air conditioning in offices and shops. Unfortunately, AC unit sales figures may not indicate which stock is new, and which is sold as replacement. In this paper, the results of surveys of over 2000 retail premises and offices are presented. These are derived from ongoing surveys with the goal of a statistically representative picture of AC usage within the UK.