Biomimicry solar unit makes air conditioning more efficient

Mistbox can be easily attached to any air conditioning unit, and help users save on energy by spraying a fine mist to cool it down.

Evaporative cooling has been used on commercial AC units for decades, and now Mistbox is a smart unit that adds-on to homeowner’s AC system, enabling them to benefit from energy-efficient savings too. The solar-powered device, which was crowdfunded, takes its inspiration from the way the human body uses perspiration and evaporation to cool down, and creates a fine mist around the AC system on hot days so that the unit doesn’t have to work so hard.

First, homeowners easily install their Mistbox, attaching it to the outside part of their air conditioning system. Then, the device produces a mist around the AC condenser, cooling the air around it so that it can work more efficiently in hot weather. As a result, the AC unit can provide cool air to the property at a cheaper cost, creating savings of up to 30 percent for the user. Plus, because it runs on solar power, Mistbox is eligible for a Federal Green tax credit. The system can be monitored and controlled via an iOS app and an Android version is under development.

One Mistbox costs USD 399 and can be used on an AC unit of any size. How else could biomimicry be used to provide household savings?