Necessity is the mother of invention, and Thomas Morrison, Director, Marketing, Portacool, believes the same saying is driving the progress of outdoor cooling solutions. “In this region, we are seeing that consumers are investing in their outdoor living spaces to extend the outdoor season,” he said. “As people look to expand their living spaces and bring the comfort of the indoors to their backyards and patios, suppliers will continuously need to develop innovative methods to help consumers fulfil their outdoor needs.”

Morrison added that increased focus towards green building solutions and demand for cost-effective cooling has cultivated a market for sustainable means of cooling environments. As such, technology is set to play a key role in this regard, he said. “Smart City initiatives, driven by the leaders in the region, will also push suppliers to provide solutions that will help digitally transform the region,” he said. “As more things become connected in the era of Internet of Things (IoT), we anticipate that home automation is a natural step. In the long run, this will help consumers save money through better-regulated climate without having to set the thermostat constantly.”

The move towards integrated technology however, does not make effective solutions obsolete, as Morrison noted, that where air conditioning is no longer effective “age old methods that have stood the test of time, such as evaporative cooling, will remain the de facto choice for consumers”.

Evaporative cooling continues to be a dependable and cost-effective solution, particularly in addressing the region’s harsh climate during the summer. Morrison spoke on Portacool’s portable evaporative coolers and the ideal conditions necessary to reduce the temperature by as much as 25 degrees C. “For optimum performance, the temperature should be approximate 30 degree C or higher and the relative humidity should be below 75%,” he said, “However, Portacool evaporative coolers will reduce the temperature in almost any environment, making it more comfortable.”