Kolkata: Kolkata has the greenest AC usage amongst the seven top Indian cities as per a first-of-its-kind national survey conducted by International Forum for Environment, Sustainability and Technology (iFOREST).
The survey covered 3100 households across Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Pune and Jaipur.
The survey used stratified random sampling across income groups and climate zones. The parameters included AC ownership, usage, servicing, refrigerant leakage, costs, disposal practices and climate awareness.
Kolkata at 42 per cent showed the highest adoption of energy-efficient five-star-rated units against the National average of 28 per cent.
Higher thermostat settings are common, with 79 per cent keeping ACs at 23 degrees or above, far higher than the national average of 67 per cent.
The survey found that refill costs were lower, but the frequency was higher. In the area, the average refill cost stood at Rs 1,600, well below the national average of Rs 2,200, while 42 per cent of users required refilling each year, nearly matching the national figure of 41 per cent.
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