Whole Systems Thinking

When trying to solve a problem, it’s easy to narrow our focus in an attempt to isolate the problem.

Sometimes it can help to take a step back and consider the “whole system”.

The Problem: 1

• Food needs to be kept cold
  • Active cooling takes energy

The Problem: 2

• Living spaces need to be kept warm
  • Active heating takes energy

Case Study:

In Newport, VT there are 5 months where the average ambient outdoor temperature is at or below freezing.

• Houses need supplemental heating for at least 5 months a year
• Food needs to stay cold all year long

Much like a snowman, your food wants to stay cold. If you wouldn’t invite a snowman inside your heated home, why would you chill and freeze your food inside?

A Solution:

Heat is a resource. Cold is a resource.

Only 7 out of 12 months even require supplemental cooling. By moving the chest fridge to a sheltered but non-climate controlled space, energy demand drops from 73kWh anually down to 42kWh! That’s a cumulative reduction of <80%. To put that another way, you could run 5 converted chest fridges in a non-climate controlled space for the same energy it takes to run 1 upright fridge of the same size indoors.

Think holistically and turn problems into solutions!