By: Francisco Dávila Muñoz
As people who have developed in the HVAC industry, we have witnessed the growth of technologies, practices, skills and knowledge, all oriented towards a single goal: comfort in our activities. It is well known that air conditioning, treatment and management are essential to work, rest and be productive in a controlled environment with the best conditions. The pandemic reaffirmed the priority of improving the quality of the air we breathe, raising its importance in air conditioning.
To achieve this idea, goal or dream, we rely on engineering to make it a reality and use methods to find answers to our questions until the initial idea materializes. Although at some point we thought that what was developed would always provide us with the desired performance, maintenance techniques are perfected to extend the useful life of the equipment and new components are created to minimize possible failures.
Relevant data support the importance of our actions. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that 90% of the cost of a building is the result of the impact on personnel, primarily productivity and well-being. A quality indoor environment can improve productivity by 10-20%. In addition, the U.S. Department of Energy claims that the use of energy-efficient HVAC systems can reduce building energy costs by up to 30%. This underscores the importance of using technologies responsibly for a positive economic and environmental impact. Studies by the Energy Information Administration indicate that the air conditioning and refrigeration industry consumes approximately 12% of the electricity generated in the U.S., highlighting the need for efficient energy management in this field to reduce the carbon footprint.
But what is our responsibility as a society beyond the intrinsic human need to seek solutions? What actions should we take and what aspects of our behavior should we modify? Everything is as complex or as simple as we want to see it. We must be aware that, along with development, our commitment to the environment and society increases. We all form a chain in which every action has a consequence. It is crucial to educate ourselves, from our homes to our jobs. Small actions, such as turning off the air conditioning when it is not needed, are part of seeking comfort, avoiding sudden temperature changes that are not ideal for our work.
We can start by asking ourselves simple questions about whether our actions have a positive impact on our environment. For example, do I really need to reduce the temperature in my house as much as possible? Is it important to make sure the air conditioning is turned off when leaving work, even if we don’t pay the bill? Is it essential to have a gas reclaimer on my work tools?
In my personal opinion, we must “humanize” machines, in a good sense (not relating it to AI or similar aspects). Consider that, like us, they must be used properly for their intended purpose, maintained and cared for. In this way we ensure our well-being with the aim of making our lives as productive as possible.
