A World Without Air Conditioning – Including Infographic!
Reading Time: 3 minutes
Written by Airway Group Team
We switch it on and off every day and we get annoyed when it doesn’t work properly – it’s fair to say most of us take air conditioning for granted. It does so much for us, it’s hard to remember a time where it didn’t exist. But what would happen if modern air conditioning had never been invented?
1 Lower productivity
It is well known that an incorrect climate stifles productivity in the workplace. It is an employer’s responsibility to ensure staff are comfortable, and without air conditioning, we’d have stuffy offices which would lead to uncomfortable, demotivated and unproductive staff.
2 Cities as no-go zones
While air conditioning is a luxury, for people in the UK it is used sparingly, perhaps to cool down on one of our (very) rare hot days. However, for some places, like Florida, air conditioning is a necessity to achieve a comfortable, habitable home or office. Without it, people would simply be unable to live there. In fact, the population of Florida saw a huge increase once air conditioning became commonplace for homes.
3 No movie madness
In the hot summers before air conditioning, movie theatres were a no-go zone, due to the cramped rooms and hot atmosphere. Once air con was installed in theatres in the 20s, people flocked to them, and the Hollywood Golden Age began.
4 Smaller windows?
This may sound odd, but air conditioning played a significant part in making larger windows possible. Before the invention of modern air conditioning systems, the large floor to ceiling windows were undesirable as they magnified heat and made rooms too warm, so smaller windows were preferred. That’s not the case anymore.
5 Computer issues
As more and more businesses convert to ‘the cloud’ and store their data on servers, the need for server rooms increases. These rooms, by their nature, kick out a lot of heat, which can cause serious problems for the technology. Server room air conditioning negates the threat of overheating, allowing businesses to run smoothly. Without air con, who knows how we’d keep our computers cool.
6 Underperforming pupils
Concentration in school is important, and while children can be easily distracted, if they are in an uncomfortable climate while learning, it can actively prevent them from being able to concentrate and do their best work.
7 Spoiled food
In factories where food is produced, climate and temperature is all important. There are plenty of foods and ingredients that can spoil if exposed to too high a temperature or too much humidity, which can derail a whole production line and cause far reaching issues. With air conditioning, food production can continue uninterrupted.
8 Workplace safety
As well as concentration in the workplace, humidity and temperature can affect safety in certain environments. For example, excessive heat can cause drowsiness, and in a place where heavy machinery is operated, for instance, this can cause a potentially lethal loss of concentration. The same could be said for places like hospitals, where concentration levels need to be at 100% in order for the medical staff to do their jobs correctly.