Were you born in the last fifty years? If so, you could have trouble thinking about a time just before air con (AC) one of the 20th Century's most critical engineering achievements. You may not contemplate it, but air conditioning has impacted on the global economy in a manner of ways you couldn't even envision.
The 1st modern air conditioning unit was created by Willis Carrier in 1902. The air conditioning unit was built for a New York based publishing company. The machine was created in order to keep humidity low so the paper didn't swell or shrink.
One of the earliest establishments to feature air conditioning was the cinematic industry. Cinemas have become one of the popular places to hang out in hot weather due to the coolness and comfort provided in the hot, sticky months.
Prior to the invention of air conditioning, many work premises slowed down and workers became sluggish due to the intense heat of buildings. Throughout America, workers used to get a month long vacation in the month of August, similar to Europe. In Europe, month long Summer vacations still exists, this may be due to AC usage being less popular in Europe.
Temperature control (see Quantech Environmental air con maintenance) has had a vast impact on the way buildings are now designed and built. Cool brick structures have now been replaced with glass skyscrapers - which do not provide the same ventilating features, and without the use of AC, these buildings would be practically unbearable to work in.
Without AC, certain breakthroughs would have been impossible, including the manufacturing of computers and chip sets, not to mention the production, delivery and storage of food. Chemical manufacturing and pharmaceutical manufacturing would be next to impossible without Air Conditioning.
Air conditioning has allowed the world to achieve many great things, including advances in medicine and the life expectancy in humans. Hospitals with air conditioning have helped to; beat Malaria, lower infant mortality, prevent bacteria and provide advance developments in surgery.
Oddly enough, there is one sector that hasn't been affected by the use of air conditioning and that is the education sector. Summer holidays are still implemented all over the globe. Summer holidays were originally designed to help cope with intolerable heat in schools during the Summer. Such heat became intolerable, creating poor conditions and creating a spread of disease. Despite air con now making conditions more hygienic and comfortable during the Summer, school holidays are still in place.
DID YOU KNOW:
The amount of energy the United States uses every year to power air conditioning is around the same amount of energy consumed by the entire continent of Africa!