London Mayor, Boris Johnson, has admitted that the French are ahead of us…
Boris Johnson would like to see London taking a leaf out of Paris’ book and using water from the River Thames to cool buildings in a more sustainable approach to air-conditioning. At a recent Global Mayor Summit, Paris showcased a simple technology which uses water piped from the Seine to cool apartments. The process involves water from a river being piped around people’s homes, like commonly used piped water air conditioning now-a-days. A heat pump will be used in warmer months to cool the water by means similar to how a fridge works; not trying to re-invent the wheel!
Carbon emissions from air-conditioning are expected to soar as temperatures climb and people become richer, BBC News reports. (4/12/15)
Currently, nearly 50% of London’s emissions are due to heating and cooling from natural gas so finding a low-carbon way to provide this same process is high up on the Mayor’s agenda.
Earlier this year, the River Thames found itself involved with a ‘Better by Water’ campaign. This on-going campaign is using the River Thames commercially for a safer, cleaner London.
If all these schemes for greener solutions in London work together, carbon emissions in London will drop, even if population swells.
