Best of Both Sides: Standardising AC temperature will be a quick fix
The need is to provide solutions that don’t impose high energy costs or harm the environment
Share
The Indian government is reportedly contemplating to limit air conditioner (AC) temperature settings between 20°C and 28°C. This seem like a minor technical move, but it marks an important symbolic step in reshaping our approach to cooling. While it will not, by itself, lead to a significant reduction in energy use — and will face major implementation challenges on the ground — it sends a critical signal about the growing impact of cooling on India's energy grid, environmental footprint and climate ambitions.
Cooling is the fastest-growing energy-consuming sector in India. With economic growth, rising urbanisation, and more intense and frequent heat waves, demand for air conditioning is surging. Last year, about 15 million ACs were sold in the country — up from just 7.5 million units in 2022. As a result, cooling now accounts for a significant share of electricity consumption, and this is expected to rise exponentially. In Delhi, for example, ACs now account for nearly 40 per cent of the city's annual electricity use — a figure that rises to 50-60 per cent during summer months, even though only about 30 per cent of households own an AC.
Even with modest penetration, ACs are already a major driver of peak electricity demand, prompting the installation of new coal-fired power plants just to meet summertime surges. In a country heavily reliant on coal, this directly undermines efforts to reduce emissions and meet climate targets. Additionally, the grid — under pressure from this rising load — is becoming increasingly vulnerable to stress and blackouts.
This growth in AC use is particularly problematic because it relies primarily on vapour compression technology — the most energy-intensive and environmentally damaging cooling method. The climate cost of an AC extends well beyond electricity. Most ACs in India use hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants — super greenhouse gases with global warming potentials hundreds or even thousands of times higher than carbon dioxide (CO2). Due to frequent leakage and poor servicing practices, these gases are typically refilled every two to three years (in parts of Delhi it is every year).
A typical 1.5-2.0 ton AC contains around 2 kg of HFCs, which, if released, equates to roughly 1.5 tonnes of CO2-equivalent emissions. Add to that the emissions linked to the unit's annual electricity use — about 1.5 tonnes of CO2 — and the total climate impact comes to around 2.25 tonnes of CO2-equivalent emissions annually. For context, the average car in India emits about 2.0 tonnes of CO2 per year. Running and maintaining a single AC is among the most climate-damaging individual activities.
Yet cooling is no longer a luxury. It has become a basic need. It is essential for health, productivity, and even social stability. Research shows that hot, sleepless nights are linked to increased aggression and violence. For the poor and vulnerable, the lack of cooling is not just uncomfortable, it can be fatal. The challenge, therefore, is to make cooling both accessible and sustainable. India cannot afford billions of energy-guzzling ACs. This will break the grid and the environment. What we need is a complete reimagining of how we keep our homes, offices, and cities cool in ways that serve all people.
This begins with the built environment. Buildings and urban layouts must be designed to stay cool naturally, using high-insulating building materials, shaded façades, reflective roofs, cross-ventilation, and landscaping. Cities must be made cooler through more green spaces, water bodies, reduced asphalt, and materials that lower heat absorption. India must invest in alternatives like centralised cooling and district cooling systems (DCS) — networks that supply chilled water through pipes to buildings, which can then be used for cooling. These systems minimise the need for harmful refrigerants. Studies also show that DCS can reduce cooling demand by 30-40 per cent and cut electricity bills in half. Large-scale district cooling projects are now being planned. Hyderabad Pharma City, for example, aims to install one of the largest DCS facilities in Asia.
At the same time, India must accelerate the development and deployment of super-efficient ACs. They promise up to five times more efficiency than today's best five-star-rated models. These innovations must be fast-tracked through targeted subsidies, smart regulations, and market transformation programmes to ensure both affordability and wide-scale adoption.
Finally, cooling must be made inclusive. While the rich rely on air conditioners, the majority of India's population remains vulnerable to extreme heat with little or no access to cooling. Ironically, ACs disproportionately affect the poor through overloaded grids, blackouts, and intensified urban heat islands. We must develop cooling solutions for the poor — low-cost technologies that consume less energy. Public cooling shelters must be established in high-heat, high-poverty areas. Policies must prioritise access for those most at risk — street vendors, workers, slum dwellers, and the elderly. Solutions like shared cooling spaces should be built into urban planning.
The AC temperature cap, while not a game-changer on its own, opens the door to a more urgent conversation. Cooling is now a developmental necessity — but also an environmental and energy emergency. How we choose to cool will shape not only our physical comfort but also our economic resilience and environmental future.
Last week, as Delhi reeled under an intense heatwave, I stepped out to a local market. A group of agitated street vendors shifting their carts caught my eye. I asked one of them what was going on. He responded with visible frustration, "Ma'am, we're caught in a heat trap. Behind us, AC vents from shops are blasting hot air. In front, parked cars and SUVs are idling with their ACs running, releasing more heat. Surviving this weather while trying to earn a living feels like hell."
Air-conditioning systems exemplify the dual nature of technology. Although they keep the people in their environment comfortable, these cooling systems use a lot of energy and emit heat into the surrounding air. A solution for one person thus becomes a burden for another and also harms the environment.
Union Minister of Power Manohar Lal Khattar has announced that guidelines would be set to mandate ACs to operate within a temperature range of 20°C to 28°C. The move might seem timely in view of the energy-consumption problem posed by these cooling gadgets. But is that a practical solution to a difficult predicament? It seems akin to asking people to use less water during monsoon so that drains don't get burdened and cause waterlogging.
Waterlogging is inevitable in poorly constructed and outdated drainage systems. The same also holds for piecemeal solutions to deal with heat. Our cities become heat islands during summer and are deluged in the monsoon because of untamed construction. Real estate has occupied open areas, encroached on water bodies and blocked paths for heat and water to escape. Delhi is a good example of this. The abundance of malls, high-rise buildings, and flyovers is seen as a sign of urban success, but these amenities impose high energy costs and come at a cost to the environment and quality of life.
With no green or open spaces nearby, the heat generated by ACs, generators and other gadgets is not dispersed properly. This canyon effect tends to enhance heat retention. Glass façades are frequently seen as emblems of modernism and graceful architecture. Their smooth, clear surfaces let in plenty of natural light and provide eye-catching skylines. They also require less artificial lighting throughout the day. There is, however, a hidden expense associated with such stylish construction. Wide glass sections can significantly enhance heat absorption, particularly in warmer areas. This process causes interior temperatures to rise by trapping solar energy.
Buildings then rely even more heavily on air conditioning systems. This contributes to creating urban heat islands — cities become noticeably warmer than surrounding areas due to concentrated infrastructure and energy use.
Green spaces are often the first to be sacrificed to meet the demand for additional land, depriving cities of their natural cooling functions. The pollution from car tailpipes follows next. The heat from private vehicles, their air conditioners and engine exhausts add to the city's overall heat burden.
Our fast-paced urban lifestyles are facilitated by smart devices such as computers, phones and refrigerators, which streamline work, food, and even our daily activities. However, in addition to making life simpler, they silently release heat. Imposing restrictions on a single gadget is no solution.
The United Nations projects that by 2050, nearly 68 per cent of the world's population will live in urban areas. Despite covering only 3 per cent of the planet's surface, cities account for 78 per cent of global energy consumption and generate 60 per cent of the greenhouse gas emissions. In light of these stark realities, the UN adopted the New Urban Agenda in 2016 to guide countries in shaping urbanisation processes that are more inclusive, sustainable, resilient, healthy, and liveable. Instead of working on such guidelines for systemic change, the government is resorting to quick fixes like shifting the burden onto the AC thermostat.
People in several parts of the country require cooling systems. The need is to provide solutions that don't impose high energy costs or harm the environment. Planners need to work towards giving them alternatives to ACs — or, at least, to using these gadgets at a low temperature. The answer lies in planning cities in ways that obviate heat islands. Let's talk about restoring green spaces, reimagining how we build our cities, choosing materials that breathe, creating open-ventilation corridors, and designing buildings that stay cool naturally. Let's talk about increasing the efficacy of public transport systems so that people rely less on cars. Let's plan office areas close to where people live.
All this may not be easy. But the truth is that planners and policymakers have, at best, taken a siloed approach to issues related to energy, environment and people's well-being. They haven't provided the right incentives or given the nudge that could have resulted in systemic changes.
Imagine a summer day, with a market bustling with activity, people chatting beneath trees, parks in place of parking lots, and a community enjoying pleasures like kulfis and mangoes while shielded by a massive tree. This is neither romanticism nor nostalgia. It's about making the right choices for our well-being. Policy should help us make these choices instead of resorting to unsustainable approaches.
