So I’m not sure if you are aware but the A/C unit at the back of the hackspace works, and we should use it.
We leased a space with an A/C unit, if it breaks it’s the landlords responsibility.
Our lease includes electricity, so we can use it as much as possible with no additional cost to us.
Electricity is generated by hydro dams, and we have an abundance of it.
No maintenance costs, no usage costs, no environmental concerns.
I’ve been turning it on but someone keeps turning it off, and I’m curious as too why.
Being wasteful is still wasteful, even if the costs of that waste fall on to someone else. This is not about leaving it on 24/7 or not. It should be about, how we can we come to compromise on managing the A/C that works for everyone.
Many people will agree that having a comfortable environmental temperature is desirable. Others want us to consume the resources we have responsibly, even if we are not on the hook for their consumption.
It may be obvious, but we are a hack space. Mod the thermostat to engage the A/C in the summer once the lights are turned on. Lights off, no A/C. Light’s on, A/C. Obviously, don’t turn the A/C on in winter…
Sorry this is not the case. The A/C was left by a previous tenant and we are just using it because it’s there, if it breaks down the landlord is not obligated to replace it. At the same time if we move out we don’t need leave with a working A/C unit in place.
Not 100% true. What we pay each month is a split of rent and operating costs. While the amount we pay in rent is fixed, the operating costs are not. Operating costs include a lot of different things and one of them is the buildings power. At the end of the year operating costs are changed to reflect the current op costs. So while we don’t pay for the power used directly, indirectly that power usage is split over all the units in the building.
EDIT: I should say, I’m not either for or against leaving the A/C on, I just wanted to clarify a couple of assumptions regarding our lease. I do like @interlock’s idea of using our ability to hack to come up with a better solution. Hacking is what we do and we have to tools to do it!
I’ll be the insensitive clod who agrees. I don’t see a problem with it being on. It’s too small to have an effect if we only turn it on when needed and we have people in and out at all times. Maybe not keep it cranked, but set to keep the space a steady 20° or something like that I think is fine
Then why do you advocate that we let an A/C unit go to waste?
Agreed. I find its to god damn hot in the space.
That temperature would be like… 20 degrees? Room temperature?
What is being consumed? Airconditioning units? Electricity we get from hydro dam? Beverages that people need to drink due to sweating from the hackspace being too hot?
Do I really have to explain how airconditioners work? Okay… If I must…
The A/C unit has a thermostat that you can set to a certain temperature. If you set it to room temperature it will only engage when the temperature is above 20 degrees. However, since the room is so long and the unit mounted on the wall the seating area is hotter I’ve been setting it at 18 degrees celcius to compensate.
I was not under the assumption that we leased an airconditioned space, or that the A/C unit was included in our lease. I was under the assumption that we leased a space that came with an A/C unit, which is what I said and in fact the case. I suppose I should have been clearer.
So no maintenance costs, assuming that we don’t perform any maintenance on it if it breaks or gets damaged. Usage costs are split between all 5-6 tenants, and here is my estimation on actual costs.
365 days x 24 hrs = 8760 hrs
A/C unit would be running I’m guessing 25% of the time, and I’m guessing it consumes 500 watts.
8760hrs x 25% x 500 watts = ~1095 kilowatt hours
~1095 kWh x 6.477¢ per kWh. = ~$70.92
~$70.92 / 12 months = ~$5.91 a month
And no environmental concerns.
During the winter nobody objected to burning fossil fuels to heat the space and that costed us several hundred dollars (totally worth it).
Insensitive? You aren’t being insensitive. You are being considerate, which is something we typically are not good at.
Insensitive would be like ignoring the “please leave on” sticker I put on the A/C unit and turning it off when you left and not caring if hackspace is uncomfortably hot for others when they arrive.
To whomever keeps turning it off, I apologize for getting all hot and bothered by this, but please under stand I am hot, and thus bothered.
There is a difference between something that comes with the space and something that is left at the space, the A/C is something that was left there. Originally you mentioned that “if it breaks it’s the landlords responsibility” and i’m just pointing out that it’s not the case.
We would need something closer to ~36,000 BTU to properly cool the space. something that is out of the reach of VHS’s finances. The AC unit is practically useless for our size of space. A large fan would do more good then this tiny AC unit working at 100%, 24hrs a day.
You calculations for the cost per watt are far off realistic values. Do you really think that the building uses less then 1000kw per month? Also we are commercial building so we pay for peek times differently then non-peek times. During peek times in BC we have to turn on non-renewable resources (gas power plans) to keep up with the demand. So don’t fool yourself saying that there is no environmental concerns.
Running the AC 24/7 is not cool (pun may or may not be intended).
We need a better solution.
We are hackers.
Come up with a better solution.
Discussion closed and proposed to move to a new topic, i.e. how to make the space cooler!
(Again, pun may or may not be intended!)