14 DAY TRIAL // Ice has long been valued as a means of cooling, before the invention of air conditioning units. Although the latter are more efficient, they also cause pollution and eat up massive amounts of electricity, which is mostly produced by burning coal and oil, which also pollute the environment.
Some office towers and buildings in New York are rediscovering the age of old technology and are starting to use ice to supplement the air conditioning devices, which are kept at a minimum. This energy-saving system is quite efficient and saves a lot of energy by relying on blocks of ice to pump chilly air.
"If you take the time to look, you can find innovative ways to be energy efficient, be environmental and sustainable," said William Beck, the head of critical engineering systems for Credit Suisse.
The reasons for using this ancient technology go beyond the protection of the environment, as they save companies big bucks and reduce strain on the electrical grid of the building and of the entire city, which is greatly overloaded during extreme heat.
A system in Credit Suisse's offices at the historic Metropolitan Life tower in Manhattan is equal to taking 223 cars off the streets or planting 1.9 million acres of trees to absorb carbon dioxide from electrical use for a year, according to the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority.
Whatever the reasons, the results are favorable both to the companies and to nature and this is all that counts. NYC is not the first city to use these applications, although it is the only one to use it as a "diet supplement" instead of main cooling method.
In fact, until recently, the Hungarian Parliament building used ice harvested in the winter from Lake Balaton for air conditioning. Icehouses were used to store ice formed in the winter to make ice available year-round.