http://phys.org/ en-us Phys.org internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine. As someone who considers himself an environmentalist, I'd love to get a solar array for my home. But I'm finding that it may not make a lot of sense - at least right now. My wife and I drive fairly fuel-efficient cars. Our house is lit almost entirely with compact fluorescent and LED light bulbs. And our entertainment center is connected to a power strip that turns off all of our various game consoles and digital set-top boxes whenever the TV is off. http://phys.org/news286392618.html Technology Sun, 28 Apr 2013 19:10:02 EST news286392618 A University of California, Davis, challenge to build more energy efficient air conditioning has spurred a major global manufacturer to build a rooftop air conditioner that is 40 percent more energy-efficient than conventional units. http://phys.org/news271666659.html Technology Fri, 09 Nov 2012 06:57:57 EST news271666659 A technology developed by a Florida company can transform any residence can into a smart home. http://phys.org/news261726766.html Technology Tue, 17 Jul 2012 07:50:01 EST news261726766 (Phys.org) -- Automobile air conditioner maker Denso Corporation has announced a first for cars, an air conditioning system that allows for true independent heating and cooling of driver, passenger and back seat areas, resulting in energy savings on average of twenty percent per year per vehicle. http://phys.org/news255332811.html Technology Fri, 04 May 2012 08:50:01 EST news255332811 (PhysOrg.com) -- From an environment standpoint, silver and white cars are cool; black cars are not. Researchers at the Berkeley Lab Environmental Energy Technologies Division (EETD) say that the color of your car affects your car's fuel economy and how seriously you contribute to pollution. A light-colored shell reflects more sunlight than a dark car shell. The cooler the color, the cooler the cabin air, and the less of a need to run your air conditioner. http://phys.org/news238737616.html Technology Tue, 25 Oct 2011 05:30:01 EST news238737616 (PhysOrg.com) -- When it's 100-plus degrees outside, all you want to do is turn up the air conditioning inside. Because of all of this cooling, some government-mandated incentive programs are aimed at getting us to buy more efficient air conditioners to save energy and money. However, a recent study from the W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University explains why, even if we buy the more efficient devices, the plan won’t necessarily work. http://phys.org/news227857750.html Technology Tue, 21 Jun 2011 07:10:10 EST news227857750 (PhysOrg.com) -- A solar-powered air conditioning system has been developed for use in trucks, and should be available commercially by early 2012. The "i-Cool Solar" system was the brainchild of companies Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, ICL Co. Ltd, and Nippon Fruehauf Co. Ltd, who together developed the system, which uses a series of Mitsubishi Chemical photovoltaic (PV) cells on a Nippon Fruehauf mount fixed to the container of the truck to power the air conditioner in the cabin while the truck is stationary. http://phys.org/news207548703.html Technology Fri, 29 Oct 2010 07:30:06 EST news207548703 (AP) -- Inon Beracha envisions a world where your movements control the gadgets and devices around you. There's no remote control to lose, no buttons to push. The air conditioner senses your presence and changes the temperature to your liking. http://phys.org/news202839567.html Technology Sat, 04 Sep 2010 17:19:45 EST news202839567 Ah, the cool, refreshing feel of air conditioning on a sweltering summer day. Ugh, the discomfort when those energy bills in July, August and September come due — $200, $400, $600 or more. http://phys.org/news196452365.html Technology Tue, 22 Jun 2010 19:07:51 EST news196452365 As Hong Kong steams into summer, millions of air conditioners kick in to cool the sweltering city -- ensuring, scientists say, that the future will be even hotter. http://phys.org/news196401988.html Space & Earth Tue, 22 Jun 2010 05:06:43 EST news196401988 Trees and other plants help keep the planet cool, but rising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are turning down this global air conditioner. According to a new study by researchers at the Carnegie Institution for Science, in some regions more than a quarter of the warming from increased carbon dioxide is due to its direct impact on vegetation. This warming is in addition to carbon dioxide's better-known effect as a heat-trapping greenhouse gas. For scientists trying to predict global climate change in the coming century, the study underscores the importance of including plants in their climate models. http://phys.org/news192120859.html Space & Earth Mon, 03 May 2010 15:54:47 EST news192120859 The first certified winner of the UC Davis "Western Cooling Challenge" is Coolerado Corp. of Denver. Recent federal tests showed that their five-ton commercial rooftop unit should be able to air-condition a typical big-box store with less than half the energy needed by conventional cooling units. http://phys.org/news169472124.html Technology Fri, 14 Aug 2009 13:10:01 EST news169472124 (PhysOrg.com) -- Engineers have developed a technique that saves energy and servicing costs by indicating when air conditioners are low on refrigerant, preventing the units from working overtime. http://phys.org/news164918343.html Technology Mon, 22 Jun 2009 19:50:03 EST news164918343 Air conditioning in cars cuts out more than 80 percent of germs, fungal spores and particles from outside air, providing a boon for people with respiratory problems or allergies, German scientists say. http://phys.org/news161788747.html Biology Sun, 17 May 2009 14:19:47 EST news161788747 A Michigan State University researcher and a colleague have won the Boston Innovation Prize for the design of a low-cost, energy-efficient method of cooling and dehumidifying residential and small commercial spaces. http://phys.org/news146832737.html Technology Tue, 25 Nov 2008 10:52:17 EST news146832737