Every summer, the same debate resurfaces: is it smarter to shut off the air conditioner while you're at work, or just let it run all day? According to three specialists interviewed by the Associated Press, the real answer lies somewhere in the middle — nudge the thermostat up a few degrees rather than switching the unit off entirely or leaving it blasting nonstop.
Why a moderate setback wins
Shutting the AC off completely for hours does cut costs, but it comes with tradeoffs: humidity can build up and encourage mold, and the system works harder to catch up once it's turned back on, which adds wear and shortens its lifespan. The U.S. Department of Energy notes that shifting the thermostat by roughly 7–10°F for eight hours daily can trim annual heating and cooling costs by about 10%.
It depends on where you live
Elizabeth Hewitt, an urban planning expert at Stony Brook University, points out that a brief outing—like a quick grocery run—won't save you anything. But leaving for a full workday almost always pays off if you adjust the settings.
The climate matters too. In arid regions such as Arizona, homeowners can comfortably let indoor temperatures climb a bit more. In humid states like Florida, though, switching the AC off for extended stretches risks trapping moisture indoors, so a smaller adjustment works better. Arizona State University's Patrick Phelan notes that even a single degree of setback can shave around 3% off cooling costs — but AC units typically need 15–30 minutes after restarting to run efficiently, and repeated full shutoffs can mean more repairs down the line.
Your home's construction plays a role as well. Gregor Henze of the University of Colorado Boulder explains that heavier materials like brick or concrete hold onto cool air longer, while older, draftier homes heat up fast — meaning it's worth adjusting the thermostat even for short absences in less insulated houses.
Not all AC systems are equal
Window units struggle to seal out heat effectively, so sealing gaps with basic foam insulation can help a lot for little money. Smart thermostats, meanwhile, take the guesswork out of the equation — they learn occupancy patterns and adjust automatically, potentially saving around 10% compared to a standard manual thermostat.
Beating the heat without cranking the AC
Simple habits still matter. Opening windows at night (in dry climates especially) lets cooler air in, while closing blinds during the day can drop indoor temperatures by several degrees. Reflective blinds or tinted window film are other low-cost ways to block heat before it ever gets inside.
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As Deadly Heat Waves Intensify, Employers Are Turning to Wearable Tech to Protect Workers
When extreme heat strikes a jobsite, the danger is often invisible. A construction worker or landscaper might appear to be functioning normally, only to suddenly collapse from heatstroke. This silent threat is becoming a critical issue for businesses across the country, transforming a simple comfort problem into a matter of life, death, and significant financial liability.
The human cost is staggering, as highlighted by an OSHA case study in which a 35-year-old foundry worker died of heatstroke after being reassigned to a hotter area in heavy protective gear. But the economic toll is equally severe. When workers fall ill or are sent home, productivity plummets, and workers' compensation claims soar. According to the Federation of American Scientists, extreme heat drains the U.S. economy of an estimated $100 billion annually in lost productivity. Furthermore, a 2025 study by George Washington University and Harvard linked nearly 28,000 U.S. workplace injuries a year directly to heat. Yet, many companies remain caught off guard; a 2022 survey revealed that 38% of organizations lacked a heat-stress prevention plan.
With 2025 marking the third-warmest year on record globally, the urgency is only growing. In response, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently updated its National Emphasis Program to heavily target heat-related hazards in high-risk industries over the next five years. Meanwhile, the National Safety Council reported that environmental heat caused 48 work-related deaths in 2024 and 7,100 cases requiring days away from work in 2023.
To bridge the gap between how workers feel and the actual physiological danger they face, a new wave of safety technology is emerging.
Monitoring the Body: SlateSafety
Atlanta-based SlateSafety is tackling the problem by monitoring the workers’ physical response to heat. The startup produces a palm-sized armband equipped with light-based sensors—similar to those found in consumer fitness trackers—that measure blood flow, heart rate, exertion, and core body temperature.
According to co-founder and CEO Zack Braun, the device’s core-temperature algorithm is highly accurate, having been validated against ingestible temperature pills to within 0.3 degrees. By alerting managers when a worker is approaching dangerous heat stress, the armband allows for intervention before a medical emergency occurs.
The technology has already proven its worth. After installing SlateSafety’s system at a Texas Air Force base where personnel were suffering over 30 severe heat-stress injuries annually, the base reported zero such injuries. Originally focused on military and government contracts, the 11-person startup—which has raised $1.7 million to date—is now expanding into nuclear power, steel construction, and renewable energy. Devices are sold for $500 each, a price that includes software, cellular data, and support, helping the company generate between $2 million and $5 million in annual revenue.
Monitoring the Environment: MākuSafe
Taking a different approach, West Des Moines, Iowa-based MākuSafe argues that it is safer and more effective to monitor the environment around the worker rather than their biological data.
The company’s wearable sensors track external conditions such as temperature, humidity, heat index, air quality, lighting, and noise, alongside the worker's motion. Founder and CEO Gabriel Glynn points out that two workers standing just 10 feet apart can experience vastly different microclimates. By capturing these localized environmental risks, MākuSafe aims to predict and prevent accidents before they happen. The company reports that its system has reduced recordable accidents by over 50% in the first year of use for its clients.
MākuSafe, which has 15 full-time employees and generates revenue in the low seven figures, is also seeing surging demand. Qualified leads in the first half of 2026 are up 300%, and the company recently saw two of its customers selected for National Safety Council heat-stress pilot grants. Furthermore, the company's own aggregated data reveals a 1.7-degree Fahrenheit increase in average temperature exposure among their customer base over the past few years.
The Privacy Dilemma
While wearable tech offers a lifeline in rising temperatures, it also introduces significant privacy concerns. Tracking biometric data in the workplace raises red flags under federal employment-discrimination laws, prompting warnings from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
Privacy advocates caution that without strict guardrails, these devices could be misused. Ridhi Shetty of the Center for Democracy & Technology warns that employers might use wearables not to protect workers, but to determine how much heat stress they can endure, effectively using the technology to justify maintaining unsafe working conditions. Experts insist that data should be strictly limited to safety purposes, retained only as long as necessary, and never used for disciplinary action.
Both tech companies say they are acutely aware of these concerns. SlateSafety mitigates pushback by offering free pilot programs, noting that many workers eventually embrace the devices, viewing them as an "extra pair of eyes" looking out for their well-being. MākuSafe, on the other hand, sidesteps the biometric debate entirely by deliberately refusing to collect heart rate or internal body temperature data.
As the planet warms, the reliance on technology to manage workplace heat will only increase. However, government officials are quick to point out that wearables are not a silver bullet. A Department of Labor representative emphasized that OSHA’s primary defenses against heat illness remain fundamental: water, rest, shade, and training. Technology should supplement these measures, not replace them.
As summer temperatures continue to break records, employers are left with a stark choice: proactively fix hazardous working conditions, invest in technology to monitor their workers, or prepare to explain to OSHA why they did neither.