Kolkata, 3 Aug July, 2024: The Appliances business of Godrej & Boyce, part of Godrej Enterprises Group, released insights on ‘AC Usage in Indian Homes’ based on a consumer survey conducted amongst AC users in partnership with Twentify India. The survey revealed interesting insights on AC usage patterns across Indian households, its impact on energy bills and maintenance practices followed.
50% of Kolkata respondents indicated the number of ACs installed in their homes increased this summer, given the extreme summer temperature and heatwaves. And 55% in Kolkata reported having two ACs at home which is higher as compared to Jaipur (38%), Delhi (48%) Ahmedabad (36%), Mumbai (44%), and Chennai (46%).
Kolkata households also proved to be more cognizant of AC servicing needs to maintain its efficacy, with 64% respondents servicing their ACs at least once a year as preventive maintenance, even if no problems were evident. This is much higher compared to Delhi (55%), Mumbai (53%), Patna & Indore (50%). Nearly 90% of Kolkata respondents claim to choose authorized technicians for AC servicing, to ensure quality over cheaper or faster service options. Furthermore, 57% respondents of Kolkata said their energy bills have been rising rapidly over the last few years and their summer energy bills tend to be double their average energy bills. Due to this, the city is reflecting an inclination toward energy consciousness, with close to 90% consumers taking some steps to manage their rising electricity bills:
• 34% used AC timers to automatically switch off their AC units, restricting its usage
• 30% switched off the AC at night after a few hours
• 23% encouraged family members to spend more time in the same room, reducing the need for multiple AC units
• 13% ran the AC on eco mode to save energy
According to Kamal Nandi, Business Head and Executive Vice President – Godrej Appliances, “AC Industry as whole has grown by 1.5 times in India this year as compared to last summer. We have witnessed almost 2.5X growth ourselves. While this is good news for the appliance industry, we need to reflect on what it means for the environment, the energy demands in coming times, and the impact on household expenses as well.
We are happy to witness Kolkata residents demonstrating more responsible behaviour towards AC servicing and energy consciousness than many other parts. Regular maintenance of AC from an authorised technician is highly recommended to ensure service quality, and protect consumer safety. Additionally, this survey underscores the urgent need for adoption of higher star-rated ACs to lower energy consumption, given that a five star 1.5 Tr AC saves upto 25% energy compared to a 3-star AC. Godrej Appliances stays committed to meeting the growing demand for high quality cooling solutions in India but at the same time, also recognizes the need to do so in an environment friendly sustainable manner.”
