Air-con and local weather change: startups are attempting to assist

This June was the hottest in American history. The 116-degree heat melted power cables in Portland, Oregon, breaking previous temperature records. Seattle recorded an all-time high of 108 degrees, as did the Canadian province of British Columbia with a whopping 121 degrees.

As the world warms, more and more people are installing air conditioners. The global energy demand for cooling has more than tripled since 1990 and could more than double by 2040 without stricter efficiency standards.

But air conditioning itself is a major contributor to global warming. Overall, building operation with heating, cooling and lighting causes 28% of global greenhouse gas emissions. That is more than the entire global transportation sector.

But SkyCool, Gradient, and a number of other companies are working on the problem. They are trying to apply new technology to the traditionally inflexible heating and cooling industry, fund upfront costs, bring value to property owners, and make sure everything is done fairly.

Watch the video to learn more.