I know it’s wintertime for many of you, but that doesn’t mean we can ignore how cities around the world are heating up and how air conditioning is a growing contributor to climate change. 

Air conditioning is responsible for about 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Today, about 20% of electricity used in buildings and about 10% of global electricity use comes from operating air conditioners. With cities heating up and more people able to afford this technology, air conditioning emissions are expected to double by 2030 and triple by 2050.

To understand this problem and some promising solutions, I sat down with Matthias Roth and Ran Roth. Matthias is a Professor of Geography and Urban Climatology at the University of Singapore. Ran is the Founder of Sensibo, a startup that’s using data and AI to improve the efficiency of air conditioners around the world. No family relation between the two Roths, but a shared interest in how cities are heating up and what we can do about it. We talk about urban heat islands, how cities are responding, the growth of air conditioning, Sensibo’s solution to making them smarter and more efficient, what else needs attention, and much more. Wherever you are, warm up and stay cool with this episode. Enjoy. 

In today’s episode, we cover:

• [03:25] Matthias’ background & focus
• [05:10] Ran’s background & insights into his work
• [07:13] The impact of a heating planet on cities
• [10:28] Why cities heat up more than their surroundings
• [12:36] How cities are tackling urban heat challenges
• [14:20] Unpacking air conditioners' impact on climate
• [17:48] Sensibo's solution to growing AC issues
• [20:42] Sensibo's customers & scale
• [21:52] Impact metrics - saving energy on a large scale
• [23:35] The global rise in demand for air conditioning
• [25:24] Sensibo's role in curbing AC's environmental impact
• [27:54] Sensibo’s unique features - geofencing and more
• [29:32] The crucial role of AI in Sensibo's vision
• [31:22] High-tech excitement & limitations
• [36:12] Identifying gaps in current climate discussions

Resources Mentioned

• University of Singapore
• Sensibo 

Connect with Matthias Roth & Ran Roth

• Connect with Matthias
• Connect with Ran on LinkedIn

Connect with Jason Rissman

• On LinkedIn
• On Twitter

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