Cool the Nation, Conserve the Future: India’s New AC Temperature Guidelines

NATIONAL

Syllabus Mapping: GS2 (Governance) | GS3 (Environment, Energy Efficiency)
📅 Post Date: June 19, 2025
🎯 Thematic Focus: Climate Policy | Energy Efficiency | Behavioural Change

🌬️ Intro Whisper:

In a nation where every degree saved is a watt preserved, India’s quiet but significant intervention in air conditioning norms could reshape its energy future.

🔍 Key Highlights:

• Energy-Efficient Cooling Drive:
  The Government of India is set to standardize AC temperatures between 20°C to 28°C, with 24°C as the default setting.
• Context & Urgency:
  • Cooling already contributes to 20% of India’s peak power demand (50 GW).
  • With 10 crore ACs in use, and 1.5 crore added annually, the energy impact is surging.
  • Every 1°C increase saves 6% in power consumption.
• Health & Comfort Considerations:
  • WHO guidelines recommend maintaining indoor temperatures above 18°C for health safety.
  • Excessive cooling at airports/offices (18–21°C) causes energy waste and health discomfort.
• Challenges in Implementation:
  • Only 20% of ACs are 5-star rated.
  • Building energy codes (ECBC) exist but remain poorly implemented.
  • BEE (Bureau of Energy Efficiency) efficiency norms are set for revision by 2028.
• Strategic Interventions Proposed:
  • Adoption of passive cooling designs in architecture (cross-ventilation, insulation, green roofs).
  • Consumer awareness about health and cost benefits of 24–26°C range.
  • Stricter star-rating norms and phase-out of inefficient models.
• Policy Backdrop:
  • The India Cooling Action Plan (ICAP) was launched by MoEFCC, aiming to:
    1. Cut cooling demand by 20–25% by 2037–38.
    2. Reduce refrigerant use and cooling energy needs by up to 40%.
    3. Recognize cooling as a national research thrust and train 1 lakh technicians.

📘 GS Paper Mapping:

• GS2 → Government Policy Initiatives, Energy Governance, Behavioural Nudges
• GS3 → Sustainable Development, Climate Change Mitigation, Urban Energy Demand

🌱 A Thought Spark — by IAS Monk

“In a warming world, regulating coolness becomes a revolutionary act. If temperature becomes a collective discipline, sustainability can become a silent revolution.”

High Quality Mains Essay For Practice :

Word Limit 1000-1200

🌍 Cooling the Planet Without Warming It: Rethinking Air Conditioning in the Age of Climate Crisis

Syllabus Tags: GS2 (Governance), GS3 (Environment, Energy Efficiency, Sustainable Development)

Introduction: The Ironic Dilemma of Comfort

In a curious paradox of modern life, the very technology designed to protect us from rising temperatures — air conditioning — is fast becoming one of the drivers of the climate emergency. In India, a country grappling with record-breaking heatwaves and rapidly expanding urbanization, the rise of air conditioning usage is no longer a symbol of elite comfort but a functional necessity. However, this cooling boom comes at a cost: rising electricity consumption, mounting pressure on power grids, and higher emissions of greenhouse gases. In this context, India’s move to regulate air conditioner temperature settings is a timely step toward balancing human comfort with planetary responsibility.

India’s Air Conditioning Surge: A Snapshot

India currently has over 10 crore (100 million) air conditioners in use, with 1.5 crore new units being added annually. This exponential growth in cooling demand contributes significantly to peak electricity load, accounting for approximately 20% (or 50 GW) of total demand during hot months. With rising middle-class incomes, increasing urbanisation, and frequent heatwaves due to climate change, the demand for air conditioning is projected to skyrocket further.

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), India is set to become the world’s largest consumer of room air conditioners by 2050, adding nearly 1 billion new units. Without intervention, this surge could result in tripling the nation’s power consumption by mid-century.

Understanding How Air Conditioners Work

The process of cooling a space via an air conditioner involves a vapour-compression cycle, driven by a refrigerant. Here’s how it functions:

• Evaporator Coil: Absorbs heat from indoor air and evaporates the refrigerant.
• Compressor: Compresses the refrigerant vapor — the most energy-intensive part.
• Condenser Coil: Releases heat to the outdoor environment and condenses the vapor.
• Expansion Valve: Lowers the pressure and temperature of the refrigerant for re-entry into the cycle.

While effective in maintaining indoor comfort, this cycle consumes large amounts of electricity, mostly during peak hours, and often involves hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) — potent greenhouse gases.

The Environmental Cost of Cooling

1. Carbon Emissions:
   Air conditioners primarily run on electricity, which in India is still largely generated from fossil fuels (especially coal). As cooling demand increases, so do carbon emissions, unless electricity generation shifts to renewable sources.
2. Refrigerant Leakage:
   Most ACs use HFCs that have Global Warming Potentials (GWPs) thousands of times greater than CO₂. Even small leaks have disproportionate impacts on atmospheric warming.
3. Urban Heat Island Effect:
   The release of residual heat outdoors from millions of cooling units raises ambient city temperatures, creating a vicious cycle of further cooling needs.
4. Pressure on Power Infrastructure:
   Peak demand caused by simultaneous AC usage stresses the electricity grid, leading to power cuts, increased energy imports, or forced expansion of dirty energy.

India’s Regulatory Intervention: A Strategic Move

To address these challenges, India’s Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) has proposed guidelines to standardize AC temperature settings between 20°C and 28°C, with a default setting at 24°C. This initiative could lead to multiple benefits:

• Each 1°C increase saves approximately 6% in electricity use.
• Public buildings like airports, hotels, and malls currently keep temperatures between 18–21°C, which is often unnecessary and inefficient.
• Setting 24–26°C as the norm aligns better with thermal comfort standards and energy goals.

The World Health Organization (WHO) also recommends not dropping temperatures below 18°C, as it may pose risks like respiratory illnesses, hypertension, and discomfort in tropical climates.

India Cooling Action Plan (ICAP): A Policy Blueprint

Recognizing the urgency of sustainable cooling, India launched the India Cooling Action Plan (ICAP) in 2019, the first of its kind globally. Its key objectives:

1. Reduce cooling demand by 20–25% by 2037–38.
2. Reduce refrigerant demand by 25–30%.
3. Cut cooling energy requirements by 25–40%.
4. Promote R&D in alternative cooling technologies.
5. Skill development: Train 1 lakh technicians for efficient and eco-friendly AC servicing.

ICAP aims to integrate energy-efficient cooling across buildings, transport, agriculture, and industry, marking a systemic shift in India’s approach to climate resilience.

Passive Cooling: Going Beyond Technology

While regulating thermostat settings and promoting efficient models are critical, the real game-changer lies in rethinking how we build our spaces. Passive cooling involves architectural and design principles that minimize heat gain and maximize natural ventilation, such as:

• Cross-ventilation windows and shaded courtyards.
• Use of high-albedo (reflective) roofing and light-colored walls.
• Planting green roofs and urban trees.
• Thermal insulation and double-glazed windows.

Incentivizing such approaches through urban planning regulations, affordable housing schemes, and building code revisions can reduce the cooling load by 30–40% even before an AC is switched on.

Challenges Ahead

Despite progress, several hurdles remain:

• Only 20% of ACs sold in India are 5-star rated, reflecting market apathy or affordability issues.
• Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) compliance remains low, especially in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities.
• The star-labelling scheme by BEE needs to be tightened by 2028, phasing out inefficient products.
• Consumer behaviour continues to prioritize instant comfort over long-term sustainability.

These challenges underline the need for a multi-pronged strategy, combining regulation, incentives, education, and innovation.

Global Lessons: What Can India Learn?

• Japan: Has long promoted a “Cool Biz” campaign encouraging light clothing and higher indoor temperatures in offices.
• Singapore: Integrates mandatory energy audits and building-level cooling limits.
• EU: Focuses on refrigerant substitution and mandates use of natural refrigerants in AC systems.

India, with its diversity and scale, can become a global leader in sustainable cooling if it combines technological innovation with behavioural nudges and effective governance.

Conclusion: The Climate Within and Without

Cooling the human body and cooling the planet are not mutually exclusive goals — they are intricately linked. As India steps into an era of climate-sensitive governance, its focus on regulating air conditioner usage must not be seen as a curtailment of comfort, but as an elevation of collective consciousness. The comfort of a few cannot come at the cost of climate risk for all.

The AC is no longer a luxury appliance. It’s a barometer of how civilizations will adapt — or fail to adapt — to the warming world. India’s shift toward responsible, efficient, and regulated cooling is not just an energy policy; it is a quiet climate revolution.

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Topic: India’s New AC Temperature Guidelines