The National/YouGov survey indicated an encouraging attitude towards air conditioning, which accounts for a significant proportion of the UAE's energy costs, particularly during the summer. Almost three-quarters (74 per cent) of those surveyed said they limited the temperature of their air conditioning at home to save energy, although there were marked national differences - chiefly between the proportion of Emiratis (59 per cent) and westerners (88 per cent) prepared to knock a degree or two off the dial.
Worryingly, and suggesting an increased role for government public-information programmes, almost one fifth of Emirati respondents said they were not aware of the benefits of limiting the use of air conditioning, a lack of understanding professed by no westerners and only a small proportion of Asians (four per cent) and Arab expatriates (five per cent). * The National