Comparative Analysis of Two Urban Microclimates: Energy Consumption and Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Néstor Santillán-Soto, O. Rafael García-Cueto, Alejandro A. Lambert-Arista, Sara Ojeda-Benítez and Samantha E. Cruz-Sotelo
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Néstor Santillán-Soto: Instituto de Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Mexicali 21280, Mexico
O. Rafael García-Cueto: Instituto de Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Mexicali 21280, Mexico
Alejandro A. Lambert-Arista: Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Mexicali 21280, Mexico
Sara Ojeda-Benítez: Instituto de Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Mexicali 21280, Mexico
Samantha E. Cruz-Sotelo: Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Mexicali 21280, Mexico

Sustainability, 2019, vol. 11, issue 7, 1-11

Abstract: This paper presents a hypothetical and comparative performance of a 5 ton air conditioner (AC) operating in two zones in different urban microclimates for 25 days. One site represents a type of homogeneous planned urbanism and the other is a traditional heterogeneous zone. Air temperature data was collected and then processed using a linear regression model included in the operating manual of the AC in order to obtain their energy consumption. Results indicate that for an area with 500 homes, a traditional urban complex requires 12,350 kWh of electrical energy more than a planned zone (1.89%). This extra energy amounts up to $1180 and adds 9191 kg of CO 2 to the atmosphere. The increased energy consumption has implications that increase the cost and environmental aspects of two urban microclimates, so that urbanization without planning is less friendly to the environment. In this sense, this study highlights the effects of urban microclimates on domestic electricity consumption from air conditioning. In addition, for a city with an arid desert climate, the variation in electricity consumption is associated with changes in the urban mosaic. The results found represent scientific evidence that can be used as a reference to establish public policies that could be incorporated into the local construction regulations, oriented to reduce the energy consumption associated with the use of air conditioning equipment.

Keywords: temperature; air conditioning; energy consumption; CO 2 emissions; microclimate (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:7:p:2045-:d:220503

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