In this blog, I have stressed that we have to rethink our use of air-conditioning to be more sustainable. However, there are also a few other reasons for doing it.

Results of research on air-conditioning systems show that the use of air-conditioning is related to health problems (Yua, B.F., Hua, Z.B., Liua, M., Yangb, H.L., Kongb, Q.X., & Liub, Y.H, 2009; Seppanen & and Fisk, 2002). The results of a survey by WWF (2011) support these findings: a lot of Singaporeans (75% of the respondents) have experienced health issues caused by excessive exposure to air-conditioning. Examples of these health issues are a flu, a cold, dry eyes, stiff muscles and arthritis. Yua, B.F. et al., (2009) conclude in their article that living in natural air is better than living in an air-conditioned area. Because we spend 80-90% of our time indoors, it is important for our health to reduce exposure to air-conditioning.

Another reason is the common opinion that some air-conditioned rooms are too cold. Results of a survey done by WWF (2011) show that over a half of the (Singaporean) respondents think that cinemas are too cold, and forty percent said that schools and offices are too cold. These results show that my opinion is widely agreed upon by Singaporeans! Nonetheless, not all Singaporeans share this opinion. Reactions from other people on these results show that there is also a big group of Singaporean residents who prefer the room temperature to be under eighteen degrees. These people are less likely to want to reduce the use of air-conditioning because they mainly worry about public places, like public transport, getting too hot.

As a foreigner, I wonder if some Singaporean people aren’t somewhat ‘spoiled’ regarding air-conditioning? This might sound weird, but even as a resident of a ‘cold country’, I feel cold in these air-conditioned areas! I read in the reactions on the survey that some Singaporeans prefer a temperature of thirteen degrees in their room, while in the Netherlands it is common practice to turn on the heater when it gets below eighteen or twenty degrees! Even though it can’t be denied that it is often very hot outside in Singapore, less air-conditioning might be enough in many cases, especially when considering how this would contribute to sustainability.