How to Reduce the Environmental Impact of Your HVAC System

When compared to the many other forms of technological advancements humanity has made over the past decades, air conditioning and electric heating have some of the smallest negative impact on the environment as a whole. Keeping your home cold in the summer and warm in the winter does not produce huge amounts of greenhouse gasses or kill off marine life. The impact of HVAC systems on the environment however, is not completely nonexistent. While comparably small, the carbon emissions of non-electric systems are still a contributor to the global issue of pollution, and even if your system is electric then chances are the electricity was generated from a coal-fired power plant which creates negative runoff for the atmosphere.

If you care about the environment and your impact on it, the best thing for you to do about your HVAC system is to follow these suggestions and make sure your impact on the planet is as small as it can possibly be.

1. Alternative Power Source

While traditional heating like wood stoves and furnaces are easy to supply, they aren’t as clean and renewable as some of the more eco-friendly alternative energy sources that have become available in today’s market. Solar and wind power become more and more available every day, boating little to no negative environmental effects at all, harnessing the power of nature for clean renewable energy.

If you live near a dam or other major hydroelectric power source, chances are you probably already get some of your power from it, so simply try to keep your energy use to a minimum in order to maximize the output of the hydroelectric plant. If you live in an area which is typically sunny and bright, installing solar panels might be an option for maximizing your home’s energy production.

Solar panels provide clean, continuous energy with absolutely zero negative impact on the planet. Having these wired into your heating and air conditioning equipment could help save both money and the planet.

2. Home Insulation

After making sure the energy your home is using is clean, the next step is maximizing its effects. A badly insulated home bleeds energy and money like nothing else and it is estimated that a home that is insulated saves one thousand five hundred times the energy of a non insulated one. Make sure your home’s insulation is effective and functioning in order to save the most possible energy and the planet as well.

3. HVAC Equipment

One of the most important factors of all in the heating equation is your actual HVAC equipment. If you are using a faulty or outdated air conditioning and heating system then chances are you aren’t being as cost effective or environmentally friendly as you can. You don’t always need to have the newest model per se, but if your HVAC equipment is more than four or five years old, or if you are unaware of your systems age, looking in to an upgrade can only help.

New climate control systems can help drastically reduce energy usage and environmental impact by lessening or eliminating any pollution the system outputs as well as increasing energy efficiency. Calling local professionals like Empire HVAC can help you get the information you need to know when updating your systems as well as helping you pick out and install the best one for you and your home.

Bottom Line

The best way to lessen the impact of HVAC systems on the environment is to examine all aspects of your life, how much energy you consume and how much of it you can change or reduce. This is our planet and it’s our responsibility to take care of it as best we can so that it will last as long as possible and harbor life for just as long.

Salman Zafar

Salman Zafar is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of EcoMENA. He is a consultant, ecopreneur and journalist with expertise across in waste management, renewable energy, environment protection and sustainable development. Salman has successfully accomplished a wide range of projects in the areas of biomass energy, biogas, waste-to-energy, recycling and waste management. He has participated in numerous conferences and workshops as chairman, session chair, keynote speaker and panelist. He is proactively engaged in creating mass awareness on renewable energy, waste management and environmental sustainability across the globe Salman Zafar can be reached at salman@ecomena.org

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