A survey of 1,000 UAE residents was conducted by Censuswide for Taqeef to study air conditioner usage.
UAE-based air conditioning solutions provider Taqeef has revealed that over 62% of residents leave their air conditioning units running while they leave home for work during summer months, with ACs switched on for an average of 11.7 hours a week.
A survey of more than 1,000 respondents across the UAE was conducted by Censuswide to study AC usage habits. The results showed that nearly half the respondents left their ACs on while holidaying during summer, while 56% and 63% of respondents left their ACs on while they were away socialising and shopping, respectively.
The survey showed that less than a quarter of the respondents turned their ACs off when they left their home, adding that 20% left it on for up to six hours a day, and 13% for between 12 to 24 hours a day.
According to the survey results, people falling in the age group of 45-54 have claimed that they never or only in rare instances left their ACs running during the summer. Seventy percent of them turned the units off when they went out during weekends, 67% switched the cooling units off during holidays. Additionally, 62% and 61% of the respondents in the Generation X age group turned the AC units off while going for work and shopping respectively.
Speaking on the survey results, chairman and chief executive officer of Taqeef, Tariq AL Ghussein, said: “These findings are significant, highlighting an alarming trend of energy wastage caused by AC misuse.”
He added: “While this is obviously an environmental concern, it also emphasises the need for further education and awareness – particularly following the urgency placed on combating climate change at the recent Abu Dhabi Climate Meeting.”