What started as an invention to control humidity in a New York printing plant in 1902 has forever changed the way people around the world live, work and play. July 17th marks the 110th anniversary of the invention of modern air conditioning by Dr. Willis H. Carrier, inventor and founder of Carrier, the world's leader in high technology heating, air-conditioning and refrigeration solutions and a part of UTC Climate, Controls & Security, a unit of United Technologies Corp.
On July 17, 1902, Carrier, a young research engineer just a year out of Cornell University, finalized the design to stabilize the humidity in the air so the dimensions of the paper at the Sackett & Wilhelms Lithography and Printing Company in Brooklyn, N.Y., would remain constant throughout the printing process. Since then this innovation has been applied to everything from malls to manufacturing facilities, buses to businesses and houses to hospitals – all looking to establish a comfortable environment.
"In the early 1900s, air conditioning was primarily an industrial application that enabled countless industries to thrive with candy-making companies, textile mills and theaters some of the most enthusiastic early adopters," said Geraud Darnis, president & CEO, UTC Climate, Controls & Security. "Over the years, Carrier's innovations looked to make possible what was previously impossible. Today our focus remains true to our heritage as we continually push the envelope to create energy efficient, environmentally responsible products for both commercial and residential applications in all areas of the world."
A leading engineer of his day, Carrier filed more than 80 patents over the course of his career. To celebrate the 110th milestone, the company launched a new website, www.WillisCarrier.com, in April dedicated to its rich history, and containing little-known vignettes about Willis Carrier's life and work. In June, the company released its newly commissioned 144-page, hardcover book, called Weathermakers to the World, now available on Amazon.com, which chronicles the entrepreneurial spirit of Willis Carrier and the robust history of modern air conditioning.
"At 25 years old, Willis Carrier's foresight forever changed the world and paved the way for more than a century of once-impossible innovations," Darnis said. "His genius created an entire industry essential to global productivity and personal comfort."
