With the whole world being concerned about sustainability and getting more environmentally friendly, the air conditioning industry tries to develop new designs and technologies that would bring us a step closer towards making air conditioners more effective while having less impact on the environment.
Needless to say, it’s not an easy task to find the right balance. There are a few features every technician must consider: effectiveness, energy consumption, ecology, technology, affordability and design. When one of these factors is omitted, the air conditioner most likely won’t be successful on the market. 
Although the revolutionary technology is still in its infancy, there are some interesting concepts that deserve attention. For example, the futuristic looking tree-shaped air conditioning system. Its idea is quite simple yet effective. Basically it uses the ground heat and the Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage (ATES) system. The natural looking branches control the direction of airflow, spreading the filtered clean air within a wider range than with traditional air conditioners.
The next design is called “Fresco Di Lana” and it was developed by Laura Boffi. This air conditioning curtain is made from wool, which filters hot air and cools it as it enters the house. The water pump next to it keeps the curtain wet when desired, which supports its next function: an indoor vertical garden. It is meant to provide the perfect environmental conditions not only for you but also for plants you can grow in the ‘pockets’ of the wool.
One of the most futuristic designs was introduced in China and named Habitat 2020. This completely sustainable housing suggests dumping the old materials used for houses, and substituting them for highly sensitive skins that act as membranes between the outside and inside environment. So how will the air conditioning work in this case? Simply put, the outside air will enter the skin, travel through its numerous funnels, where it will be cooled, filtered and then evenly spread into the room. Moreover, the skin is also supposed to emit clean and CO2-free air from the building.
Last but not least is the simple design and compelling of H2O air conditioner that ended 3rd on the annual Panasonic Award. Who said that air conditioning can’t be a nice accessory for your house?
Hong Kong is the skyscraper capital of the world, and the giant HSBC Building certainly keeps up with its image. Constructed, like the Lloyds Building, with the air conditioning ducts on the outside, this innovative high-tech structure uses air conditioning as a major design feature. Love it or hate it, this cool construction method has drawn praise from architects and energy efficiency experts alike.
