How Air Conditioning Saved the Movies – Short #262

In this short podcast episode, Bryan explores an interesting story in the history of HVAC: how air conditioning saved the movies.

In the summer of 1925 in NYC, a new film was set to appear on the big screen… but the theater was stuffy with no fan that could cool down the sheer mass of people packed into the room. People were uncomfortable, and theater attendance plummeted in the summer. The movie industry struggled to fill seats in the summer.

Willis Carrier, who had solved humidity problems in factories and printing plants, was called on by the theater owners to cool a 2000-seat auditorium in July. Carrier had used cold water up to that point, but his team installed a refrigeration-based cooling system, and the response was sensational. Theaters were able to sell comfort AND relief all at once, drawing record crowds. What was once the slow season for the movies became the prime time for new film releases; the summer blockbuster was born, and Carrier had changed the movie industry forever.

However, Carrier's system wasn't perfect straight out of the gate; orchestra seats near supply vents were very cold, and the balcony was still warm. It became clear that tonnage meant nothing if the air couldn't move and mix properly. Carrier had to think about air distribution to keep people comfortable and make the invention reach its full potential. Air distribution problems are still common issues we see in homes today; capacity has to work hand in hand with duct design in order to deliver comfort.

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