In order to prevent death due to heat stroke, some local governments have started a business that allows you to use an air conditioner with high energy-saving performance for a fixed amount of about 2000 yen every month while suppressing the initial cost.
The Ministry of the Environment has set up a model project that allows users to use the latest air conditioners with high energy-saving performance while suppressing initial costs by paying a fixed monthly fee, assuming that many people who die from heat stroke do not use air conditioners indoors. We have been implementing it since this year.
Four local governments participate in home air conditioners, of which Kanuma City in Tochigi Prefecture and Kumagaya City in Saitama Prefecture can be used for 1800 to 1900 yen per month, and can be used free of charge after the 5-year contract expires.
The Ministry of the Environment bears the difference from the standard model so that highly functional air conditioners can be used at a lower cost than usual.
When we recruited households with elderly people aged 65 and over and children under the age of 18, there were 444 households in Kumagaya City and 254 households in Kanuma City, which exceeded the recruitment limit.
Participation in the project in Kanuma City because the temperature in the city is on the rise and more than half of the heat stroke patients transported by emergency are elderly, and in some cases the elderly who were indoors died. It is said that he decided.
Shogo Haneishi of the Kanuma City Environment Division said, "While air conditioners are very effective in preventing heat stroke, initial costs are an issue. This model project will also collect data such as the actual usage of air conditioners in the summer. Therefore, I would like to aim for zero deaths due to heat stroke while utilizing the results. "
The couple who replaced the old air conditioner purchased 20 years ago
Some couples have used this model project to replace an old air conditioner that they purchased 20 years ago.
The couple, Azumi Tatai (69) and Yumiko (69) from Kanuma City, Tochigi Prefecture, who applied for the model project, have an air conditioner for 6 tatami mats that they purchased 20 years ago in a space of 16 tatami mats including the living room and kitchen. One is installed.
Even if the air conditioner was turned on, the cold air did not spread sufficiently throughout the room, and it was said that the room sometimes felt hot.
He was also annoyed by the noise generated during use, but he was hesitant to use the air conditioner because it was not broken and he had not replaced it with a new one. He was also aware of the impact on global warming and utility bills.
I learned from the city's public relations that I could use the latest air conditioner with high energy-saving performance for 10 tatami mats at a low price of 1900 yen a month, so I applied for this project.
Mr. Azumi says, "The country says,'Don't hesitate to use the air conditioner when it's hot.' I was talking.
My wife, Yumiko, said, "Given the global warming, I wondered if I could use it as much as I wanted, so I hadn't turned it on until the room temperature reached 32 degrees Celsius. It is helpful to save energy. I think I will add it if I find it difficult from now on. "