Overcoming the incumbency and barriers to sustainable cooling

This article examines cooling in the built environment, an area of rapidly rising energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions. Specifically, status quo is assessed proposals are made for how to advance towards sustainable through five levers change: social interactions, technology innovations, business models, governance infrastructure design. Achieving requires navigating opportunities barriers presented by incumbent that currently dominates way which provided—the vapour-compression refrigerant (or air-conditioners). Air-conditioners remain go-to solution growing demand, with other alternatives often overlooked. has contributed hindering transition cooling: (1) building policies based exclusively on efficiency; (2) a focus temperature rather than thermal comfort variables; (3) building-centric design systems instead occupant-centric design; (4) businesses guided product-only sales; (5) lack innovation beyond standard operational phase technology. Opportunities priority actions identified policymakers, professionals, technicians citizens promote cooling. Policy relevance The can overcome key pathway as follows. Moving efficiency address climate mitigation adaptation improving heat resilience environment. Building indicators needed measure passive survivability heat. Conventional control related regulations air require expansion scope consider wider range variables, thus stimulating technological innovation. Shifting design, downsizing centralised requirements enabling adaptive environments integrating personalised environmental systems. Business models moving from product-oriented service-based businesses. Environmental considerations humidity influence, role storage support renewables flexibility cooling, impact F-gases. Regulation citizen empowerment better labelling play important role.