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Video length: 2 min.
In the heatwave context, many French people are turning to air conditioning, a tool often criticized for its impact on the environment. But what are the alternatives? Explanations.
Isabelle Guiselin, owner in Taverny (Val-d’Oise), was equipped with a reversible heat pump a year ago. The wall boxes heat the house in winter, and serve as air conditioning in summer. The warm air inside the house enters the box, which cools it with a refrigerant. It can be a greenhouse gas emitter in the event of a leak. The system is efficient, but not environmentally friendly. “It remains an additional expenditure of energy in summer”comments Jérôme Grémont, CEO of Ecobati IDF.
What alternatives?
The evaporative air cooler is presented in stores as greener. Ludovic Merrien, CEO of the Peugeot garage in Guyancourt (Yvelines), has just bought one for 2,000 euros. You have to fill a tank with water, which soaks an exchanger. By evaporating the water, the air comes out cooler. On the other hand, the device increases the level of humidity in the air. Céline Laruelle, an engineer at ADEME, reminds us that simple gestures can be effective, such as “open your windows at night to let the heat out” And “close the shutters or external blinds during the day”.