Environmental Enlightenment: Ice Block Air Conds

I just learnt about it too.
Did you know that in place of air-conditioning units, some commercial buildings have begun using an ice block cooling system? This is actually VERY environmentally-friendly, saves power and also saves money for the corporation 'cos it uses off-peak electricity! (tick tick and tick?)
How does it work? (from what i understand anyway)

Big rooms are set aside most likely at the bottom of the building and filled with LOTS of water. This is then allowed to freeze overnight with the aid of coolants and cheaper power (off peak!). Also, in places with colder evening climates, this process is even quicker!

Throughout the day, the melting cold water can be piped around the buildings, thereby cooling it much like water heating systems do. Alternately, just circulating the cool air through the use of an air-conditioner is also more environmentally friendly.

At night, when all the ice has melted, repeat!

ooo.... lookie the pretty ice from the Arctic!

Unfortunately, you can't really use this in a small house because it just wouldn't make economical sense.. But hey, if big companies thought about it, if it also saves them money why not, right?

Learn more about it at howstuffworks

And no, i'm not becoming a hard core environmental crusader. Just have nothing much more meaningful at the moment.

p.s: things that bug me at the moment:

• dong dong dong chiang (sorry veron)
• all the valentine-ness everywhere.... *sigh*
• unemployment and potential employment. all at once! (how?)