4 ms·

Is it? Now I run my a/c at home all day.

by bagacrap 3y ago

ChatGTP 3y ago
Yeah but you don't drive your car to work to run the A/C
sydbarrett74 3y ago
As opposed to working in an AC-equipped office? No net change.
- senttoschool 3y ago
  You have 100 workers. You can have one office for the 100 workers and they all share the same AC. If they all work from home, there might be 100 houses that have the AC on. The office AC energy usage might be the equivalent of 2 houses. So you're increasing energy usage by 50x. The difference in energy use would be substantial - especially with McMansions.
  - carlmr 3y ago
    >The office AC energy usage might be the equivalent of 2 houses. So you're increasing energy usage by 50x. I'm pretty sure there are savings, but not 50x. In terms of output my company office has about 4 ACs of my scale for my office with a capacity for 12 people. And since the office has huge windows trapping a lot more heat, I don't think they're very much more efficient. I'd gather the overall inefficiency is there, but it's way lower than 50x, more like 3x. And commuting to work by car burns a lot more fuel than that.
    - senttoschool 3y ago
      I think it can be 50x or less. It depends a lot. Also, a cooling an entire McMansion, where a lot of Americans live, would be similar to cooling an office for 50 people. >In terms of output my company office has about 4 ACs of my scale for my office with a capacity for 12 people It doesn't matter how many AC units there are. What matters most is the volume of space. No matter how many AC units there are, once the desired temperature is reached, they will turn themselves on/off to stay at that temperature.
      - carlmr 3y ago
        I only cool down my office tbf. But the ACs in my office are constantly working, due to the large windows trapping all the heat. As soon as you turn them off it heats up very quickly. It's probably the building that's at fault here. I do admit it could be more efficient without the office windows.
        dsq 3y ago
        Yes, at home one only runs AC in the relevant rooms. At the office there is no personal incentive to turn off the AC, in fact its not possible to turn it off unless you are the caretaker. I've even seen people open the windows or doors to let in hot air while the office AC is running.
        senttoschool 3y ago
        I know you have your own unique case, but the fact is, providing AC for an office would be magnitudes more efficient than providing AC for everyone at home. The volume of space that needs to be cooled can easily be 50 - 100x more.
        smoldesu 3y ago
        Considering how every American I know leaves their AC on when they leave for work, I wager we're kinda crying over spilt milk here.
        senttoschool 3y ago
        I don't know any American who leaves their AC on when they're not home. In addition, quite a few have smart thermostats now which will turn off AC if it doesn't detect anyone home.
        fatfingerd 3y ago
        In many more cases home AC is retrofitted into inadequate construction with a window unit, etc, with no legal consequences. Shortcuts can be done in small offices but the larger the office the more likely there is an overall climate control plan where the envelope has actually been checked for adequate insulation.
  - dsq 3y ago
    Where i live (hot, non US) most detached homes have AC per room. So one can cool only the relevant parts. Say the home office during day and bedroom at night. This while office AC runs 24 hrs 7 days a week. They never shut it off.
orangepurple 3y ago
I certainly hope you are not running your A/C literally all day. The compressor should rarely run unless you have garbage for insulation.
- bagacrap 3y ago
  First, many homes do have poor insulation. We're talking about the average across the country (or developed world) here. Second, no amount of insulation is going to make air conditioning cheap or efficient in Texas or Florida. If you assume a commute by EV then you can directly compare the kwh used to get to work vs run the a/c at home. As it happens, the way I actually commute is bike and public transit, so the calculation is more difficult. But I do know that my electricity bill is dominated by EV charging and a/c in the summer.
  - orangepurple 3y ago
    I own a 3000 sq ft house, the local weather has been 85-95 every day, my electric bill is $105, my house is 30 years old, and its comfy inside.
ChatGTP 3y ago
I work from home and even though I'm hot, I choose to use a fan and not an aircon, I can't make that choice in an office.

Is it? Now I run my a/c at home all day.

ChatGTP 3y ago

Yeah but you don't drive your car to work to run the A/C

sydbarrett74 3y ago

As opposed to working in an AC-equipped office? No net change.

senttoschool 3y ago
You have 100 workers. You can have one office for the 100 workers and they all share the same AC. If they all work from home, there might be 100 houses that have the AC on. The office AC energy usage might be the equivalent of 2 houses. So you're increasing energy usage by 50x. The difference in energy use would be substantial - especially with McMansions.
- carlmr 3y ago
  >The office AC energy usage might be the equivalent of 2 houses. So you're increasing energy usage by 50x. I'm pretty sure there are savings, but not 50x. In terms of output my company office has about 4 ACs of my scale for my office with a capacity for 12 people. And since the office has huge windows trapping a lot more heat, I don't think they're very much more efficient. I'd gather the overall inefficiency is there, but it's way lower than 50x, more like 3x. And commuting to work by car burns a lot more fuel than that.
  - senttoschool 3y ago
    I think it can be 50x or less. It depends a lot. Also, a cooling an entire McMansion, where a lot of Americans live, would be similar to cooling an office for 50 people. >In terms of output my company office has about 4 ACs of my scale for my office with a capacity for 12 people It doesn't matter how many AC units there are. What matters most is the volume of space. No matter how many AC units there are, once the desired temperature is reached, they will turn themselves on/off to stay at that temperature.
    - carlmr 3y ago
      I only cool down my office tbf. But the ACs in my office are constantly working, due to the large windows trapping all the heat. As soon as you turn them off it heats up very quickly. It's probably the building that's at fault here. I do admit it could be more efficient without the office windows.
      - dsq 3y ago
        Yes, at home one only runs AC in the relevant rooms. At the office there is no personal incentive to turn off the AC, in fact its not possible to turn it off unless you are the caretaker. I've even seen people open the windows or doors to let in hot air while the office AC is running.
        senttoschool 3y ago
        I know you have your own unique case, but the fact is, providing AC for an office would be magnitudes more efficient than providing AC for everyone at home. The volume of space that needs to be cooled can easily be 50 - 100x more.
        smoldesu 3y ago
        Considering how every American I know leaves their AC on when they leave for work, I wager we're kinda crying over spilt milk here.
        senttoschool 3y ago
        I don't know any American who leaves their AC on when they're not home. In addition, quite a few have smart thermostats now which will turn off AC if it doesn't detect anyone home.
        fatfingerd 3y ago
        In many more cases home AC is retrofitted into inadequate construction with a window unit, etc, with no legal consequences. Shortcuts can be done in small offices but the larger the office the more likely there is an overall climate control plan where the envelope has actually been checked for adequate insulation.
- dsq 3y ago
  Where i live (hot, non US) most detached homes have AC per room. So one can cool only the relevant parts. Say the home office during day and bedroom at night. This while office AC runs 24 hrs 7 days a week. They never shut it off.

orangepurple 3y ago

I certainly hope you are not running your A/C literally all day. The compressor should rarely run unless you have garbage for insulation.

bagacrap 3y ago
First, many homes do have poor insulation. We're talking about the average across the country (or developed world) here. Second, no amount of insulation is going to make air conditioning cheap or efficient in Texas or Florida. If you assume a commute by EV then you can directly compare the kwh used to get to work vs run the a/c at home. As it happens, the way I actually commute is bike and public transit, so the calculation is more difficult. But I do know that my electricity bill is dominated by EV charging and a/c in the summer.
- orangepurple 3y ago
  I own a 3000 sq ft house, the local weather has been 85-95 every day, my electric bill is $105, my house is 30 years old, and its comfy inside.

ChatGTP 3y ago

I work from home and even though I'm hot, I choose to use a fan and not an aircon, I can't make that choice in an office.