London scoping - ukcip

Final Report
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on later in warmer autumns, and switching it off earlier in the spring. There will therefore be a
very positive effect on winter comfort and heating costs.
Cooling in Domestic Buildings
Until a few years ago, air cooling was only found in a few luxury cars; now it is standard in
many ordinary models. This is not the result of climate change, but an interaction between
manufacturers and consumers generating a new market. Similarly, most large London hotels
now have air conditioned rooms. At present, the UK space cooling market for housing is very
small, but it is growing rapidly and concentrated in the south east and London where summers
are hotter and wealth greater. Typical installations include luxury flats and housing, particularly
in the London area. A recent example is the Kings Chelsea development, a conversion of a
former nurses’ home into 287 luxury apartments and 12 houses. All of these have electric
heating and air conditioning, with prices starting at £350,000 (BSJ, April 2002).
A number of factors could create a rapid increase in domestic space cooling in London:
Generally higher summer and autumn temperatures;
More frequent very hot summers, triggering purchasing decisions;
More cooling in cars and non-domestic buildings;
More products (portable systems are already on sale in DIY stores);
Strong marketing by house builders and manufacturers of cooling as ‘added value’;
Encouragement by electricity suppliers to increase low summer demand.
Apart from small portable units, the most likely type of fixed system would use an air-cooled
condenser on the outside of the building or fitted into a window, as already seen on smaller
commercial buildings in London. These are cheap and simple to install, but relatively
inefficient with high running costs, becoming less efficient at higher temperatures. They are
also visually intrusive, and since they use fans can be noisy both on the inside and outside.
More insulation in older properties is a good adaptation response, since it not only keeps the
heat out, but keeps the warmth in during winter. Alternatives such as ground-source or watersource
cooling exist; the capital costs are higher but running costs lower due to greater
efficiency, and with no equipment or noise outside the building. There are strong arguments
against more domestic cooling:
more electricity use and hence greenhouse gas emissions;
higher energy costs for households;
possible replacement of winter electricity peak with summer peak, straining
networks;
visual intrusion;
noise pollution.
In Tokyo, only the poorer suburbs do not incorporate AC in domestic properties. There is
encouragement of energy efficient appliances, computers, fridges, TVs, etc., in order to limit
energy consumption, hence reduce waste heat production. Other innovative approaches being