As summer kicks into full gear, air conditioning units everywhere crank up their power draw. This isn’t just a comfort issue. According to the International Energy Agency, over 2 billion air conditioning units hum away worldwide, set to more than double by 2050. “The core problem is the same almost everywhere,” says Donatas Karčiauskas, CEO of Exergio. “Most AC units still operate in isolation – not as part of a building’s energy ecosystem. They cool empty rooms, ignore outside conditions, and run full blast without adapting to real needs. That’s not just inefficient – it’s the fastest way to waste energy and money.”
Here’s how the numbers stack up:
- 7% of global electricity already goes to air conditioning.
- Usage could triple by 2050 without smarter controls.
- Heat-driven demand is strongest in cities and regions like India, where cooling is on track to eat up 45% of peak grid load by mid-century.
- In Germany, household AC use jumped from 13% in 2023 to 19% in 2024. Another 19% plan to join in, with most citing climate change as the reason.
If everyone keeps installing AC units without upgrading to smart, automated controls, cities will face decades of ballooning energy bills and avoidable emissions. “The bigger threat isn’t what cooling systems consume today – it’s how much more they’ll consume as the world gets hotter and cities expand,” Karčiauskas points out. Unchecked, even ordinary hotels and apartment blocks could push national grids to breaking points in the hottest regions.
Chilling Facts: What AI-based HVAC Looks Like
Energy waste doesn’t have to be part of the package. More hotels and homeowners are adopting AI-driven HVAC management to trim waste and cut costs. These systems use real-time data to determine which rooms need cooling, when, and to what extent. The shift is easy to spot in North Africa and the Middle East, where buildings already drive over 20% of national emissions, much of it from cooling alone.
At Ozas shopping centre in Lithuania, Exergio rolled out a live system using sensor data and predictive analytics. The result? Electrical use fell by 29%, heating demand shrank by 36%, and the centre saved almost €1 million. These lessons fit any climate. “We’re past the point where cooling can be treated as a seasonal add-on. It’s becoming one of the defining energy challenges of the next two decades. The buildings that adapt intelligently – with systems that learn, predict, and respond – will not only save energy, they’ll lead the shift toward climate-resilient cities,” says Karčiauskas.
Quick takeaways for hoteliers and homeowners:
- Cooling shouldn’t just be a switch you flip on and forget about.
- Tracking energy use, measuring occupancy, and adapting settings can save real money.
- Smart systems keep guests (and staff) happy while lowering grid stress.
- The right tech lets owners cut emissions while boosting comfort.
If the old way of cooling is like dumping ice in a bucket with holes, using AI is like patching those holes first. As urban growth continues and temperatures climb, air conditioning’s future depends on working smarter—not just harder.
