When I wrote about the staid state of window air conditioner units a few years ago, I was surprised to find that it resonated with many readers everywhere. In spite of the superiority of central air, tons of people still have to manage with self-installable window units which, as I wrote, had not changed in decades. To me, this is one of the enduring mysteries of contemporary industrial design, which has over the past twenty years sought to reinvent, redesign or elevate out of commodity status almost every object in the home, from vacuum cleaners to thermostats to toaster ovens. The closest thing to innovation that the AC market seems to have produced is so-called ductless air conditioning, but those units don’t address the problem that most Westerners want to solve with window units: cool a room with a machine that costs less than US$1,000. This widespread general interest bears out in the Kickstarter campaign for Noria, a new project that aims to “redefine” window air conditioners.

With just over a week left to go, the project has already raised nearly three times its funding goal. That’s a clear sign that it addresses a real need in the market. Noria claims to be less than six inches tall and forty percent smaller than standard units. This allows it to be stored and installed easily (the video demonstrates the process, and it looks like a revelation in terms of ease of use). Critically, this also means that when it sits in the window it does not block the view, a huge humanistic benefit that should not be underestimated. It seems like a huge improvement over standard units, of course, but it appears to be miles ahead of other recent, similar attempts like Quirky’s Aros air conditioner too. I hope that when it ships it lives up to all this amazing promise. Replace your old window air conditioner and save money. Get a $25 rebate from Austin Energy to buy a new ENERGY STAR®-qualified window air conditioner. ENERGY STAR window air conditioners use up to 15% less energy than conventional models.

Timers on the unit let you adjust temperature settings for comfort and savings. As part of Austin Energy’s Appliance Efficiency Program (AEP), buy an ENERGY STAR-qualified window air conditioner and receive a $25 rebate from Austin Energy.power supply ac and dc Be sure you choose the right size based on the cooling area square footage. best brand of ac unitFor example, a unit that is too large for your room will make your air conditioned space damp and uncomfortable. central ac unit problemsThe benefits of getting a right-sized unit include: Getting the best value Enjoying optimal operation cost Window Air Conditioner Sizing Chart Other Energy Efficiency Incentives We also offer rebates for the following AEP incentives that will improve energy efficiency in your home:

Ground Source Heat Pumps Heat Pump Water Heaters If your home is 10 years or older, consider whole home energy efficiency improvements through Home Performance with ENERGY STAR®. Our Registered Contractors will perform an energy analysis to determine potential energy-saving improvements to your home. Austin Energy provides a $25 rebate on an ENERGY STAR-qualified window air conditioner. You must receive electricity from Austin Energy. You must purchase a qualifying ENERGY STAR window air conditioning unit. You must submit your application within 60 days of installation. Buy a Qualified Window Air Conditioner Buy a new ENERGY STAR window air conditioning unit. ENERGY STAR has a list of qualified window air conditioners. Apply for Your Rebate Online All rebate applications are online. You must submit your rebate application within 60 days of purchase. The following information is required for your online rebate application: Active Austin Energy Customer Account Number

Tax Assessor Property ID Sq ft of area to be cooled Tips for Applying Online Before you submit the application, you will need to have all required information on hand. You will need to complete and submit the application in a single session. You cannot save your information and start again later. Active sessions time out after one hour of inactivity. If your application requires supporting documentation, such as invoices or sales receipts, you will need to scan or photograph these documents and upload into the application system. The system will accept any of the following file formats: Adobe Acrobat PDF (.pdf) Microsoft Word Document (.doc or .docx) Check your rebate status using the confirmation (enrollment) number you receive after the application submission. You will also need your City of Austin utility account number. Check your rebate status online. Email Austin Energy Customer Energy Solutions or call 512-482-5346. Call Austin Energy Customer Energy Solutions at 512-482-5346 if you have questions or need help.

Funding is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Offerings, program guidelines, and rebate levels are subject to change without notice. View all Residential offerings You can apply for your rebate online once you purchase your window air conditioner. Use the confirmation (enrollment) and utility account numbers to check the status of your rebate application. Email: Customer Energy Solutions 721 Barton Springs RoadPortable air conditioners vs window unitsAAPortable air conditioners sound like an easy solution for cooling a room that can't accommodate a window air conditioner, but many are returned by unhappy customers. So Consumer Reports tested 8 from Honeywell, Haier, Frigidaire and Sunpentown, ranging in price from $250 to more than $500.Consumer Reports used a special chamber to test their cooling power. The temperature outside is kept at 90 degrees, the humidity at 70 percent. Inside, each air conditioner is set to 75 degrees. Strings of thermocouples record temperatures throughout the room.