Green Concept: Solar Powered Blind Air Conditioner

We don't have AC, because it just doesn't get hot enough here in the Bay Area to justify it. However, there are places where it's an absolute necessity. But it uses so much energy. That's why we think these solar-powered air-conditioning blinds are such a cool idea ..

The Blind Air Conditioner concept by Minjoo Kwon would be designed with solar panels along the tops of the blinds, so that when the blinds were lowered to block out the sun, they would also be absorbing the energy needed to run the AC-unit that is so cleverly built into the the panels.

Using solar energy to power an air-conditioning system makes so much sense. When do we run our ACs? When it's hot and the sun is shinning.

We'd love to see this idea in action. But we're a little worried that the blinds would be too heavy and difficult to raise and lower. Would they really function like blinds?

See more images and get more info at Yanko Design.

Image: Yanko

Comments (4)

Interesting idea. Wouldn't it make more sense to be designing for the sun on the exterior of the building, though?

On a side note, living in Florida, I cannot imagine it always staying that cool! The bay area sounds lovely!

Kelly
http://tearinguphouses.blogspot.com

posted by k51279 on October 16th 2009 at 4:13pm
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Are you kidding? There are several places in the Bay Area that need AC sometimes. Nope, it's not Arizona, but there are hot days, weeks in the South Bay, and with builders making more efforts to be green with home construction and living, this could be useful.

posted by stickyricemama on October 16th 2009 at 4:17pm
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Where I live in the Bay Area, when it's hot enough for an air conditioner (which I don't have), there's no airflow... which begs the question that, to get this solar blind powered air conditioner to work, would I also need a fan to generate some airflow? Based on their images explaining the product, seems like I would, so I wonder how practical and effective it would be for my area. By the time there's some air moving again, the temperature's dropping, some sort of cool air is usually coming from the ocean side.

posted by Rucy on October 17th 2009 at 8:57am
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I heard about the Interactive Institute's Solar Energy Curtain http://bit.ly/g9xdz which is really aethetically pleasing (cool glowing appearance once the sun goes down) and practical, but a solar air conditioner?? I'm definitely intrigued. I like the fact that it has such a slim profile, too.

posted by lindalucille on October 19th 2009 at 10:48am
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