This article was first published on the CNA website on 10 March 2026.
The “air-conditioning trap” is real: as our cities get hotter, we use more AC, which pumps more heat into our environment, making cities even hotter.
In his commentary piece on CNA, Prof. Khoo Teng Chye, Practice Professor with the College of Design
and Engineering at the National University of Singapore (NUS) highlights that while a huge portion of building energy use stems from cooling, expecting people to give up air-conditioning in a warming world is simply unrealistic.
So, how do we break the cycle? It’s not about choosing between comfort and the planet. It’s about designing smarter.
The commentary showcases brilliant local examples of passive cooling:
– Khoo Teck Puat Hospital uses a V-shaped design to channel prevailing breezes through its wards.
– CapitaGreen features a “cool void” that draws fresh air from the rooftop down through the building.
But design is only half the battle. We also need to rethink the technology itself. The district cooling network in Tengah is a game-changer: using centralised chilled water to reduce energy use by up to 30%, while eliminating outdoor condensers and the heat they emit.
This is where we all come in. No matter how good the tech, it needs human buy-in.
A small but mighty step we can take today is embracing Go 25. Turning our thermostats up to 25°C (or higher) is a simple act that significantly cuts energy use. It’s a reminder that our personal comfort zone can – and should – align with the planet’s.
Breaking the air-conditioning trap requires a three-pronged approach:
– Design buildings that work with nature, not against it.
– Adopt innovative, efficient cooling technologies.
– Adjust our habits, one degree at a time.