It’s Getting Hot in Here! Please just keep it cool!

In the healthcare field, techs are USUALLY blessed with the ability to work in cool, comfortable environments. With it being hot and only heating up, it got us thinking: What’s it take to cool a room by 5 degrees?

For example, let’s take a 500 square foot room and look at some generalities.

1. Energy: Air conditioners are rated in British Thermal Units (BTUs) or kilowatts (kW). The cooling capacity of an air conditioner is typically measured in BTUs per hour (BTU/h) or kilowatts (kW). For simplicity, let’s assume you have an air conditioner with a cooling capacity of 10,000 BTU/h or 2.93 kW.

To calculate the energy consumed, you would need to know the efficiency of the air conditioner, usually expressed as the Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) or Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER). Let’s assume your air conditioner has an EER of 10.

The energy consumed by the air conditioner can be calculated using the formula:

Energy (kWh) = Cooling capacity (kW) × Hours of operation

If we assume the air conditioner runs for 8 hours: Energy (kWh) = 2.93 kW × 8 hours = 23.44 kWh

2. Cost: To determine the cost, you need to know the electricity rate per kilowatt-hour (kWh) charged by your utility company. Let’s assume the rate is $0.15 per kWh.

The cost of cooling the room can be calculated using the formula:

Cost ($) = Energy (kWh) × Electricity rate ($/kWh)

Using the energy calculated earlier: Cost ($) = 23.44 kWh × $0.15/kWh = $3.52

Nerdy? Probably. But let’s maybe use this knowledge and give some big huge THANK YOUs to our fellow facilities managers and maintenance workers!