When choosing a new home, most of today’s professionals and families are deciding to invest in convenience and accessibility, normally opting for the compact spaces of high-rise condominiums in bustling city centers, where work and play are both just a short walk away from their doorstep.

It is also important for new homeowners to anticipate the impact of monthly electric bills. Relying on energy-efficient home solutions can result in lower energy costs and, let homeowners get more value out of their investment in the long run. One of the most important things to remember is that for a tropical country like the Philippines, one appliance alone eats up more than half of the electric bill: the air-conditioner. Most homeowners are unaware that living in a high-rise condominium inevitably reduces the air-conditioner’s efficiency, thus contributes to higher electricity costs.

“Strong winds, especially during typhoons, can make the outdoor unit’s propeller fans malfunction, or worse, stop them from working altogether. This forces the air-conditioner to work harder and use up more energy, and eventually damage the unit,” explains Rajan Komarasu, Group Director of Concepcion Building and Industrial Solutions (BIS), the building technologies arm of Concepcion Industrial Corporation, and houses the brands Carrier, Toshiba, Midea, and Otis.