“Your home AC does not ventilate at all. It only recirculates indoor air. Ensure some fresh air exchange after a certain interval,” said Hisense International Sales Director Terry Leung, addressing a common misconception.
In a sealed room, running a conventional AC for extended periods without opening windows or doors prevents carbon dioxide from escaping and oxygen from entering, he said in an interview with TIMES of Bangladesh.
He highlighted how conventional air conditioners work. A standard AC operates in a closed-loop system, cooling indoor air through an evaporator coil filled with refrigerant and transferring the absorbed heat outside via the condenser.
As it removes heat rather than exchanging air, indoor air quality can decline over time even if the temperature remains comfortable. With urban homes becoming more enclosed, users are increasingly expecting cooling systems to manage both temperature and air quality.
Hisense bets on AI, fresh air to redefine cooling
Hisense is targeting the gap by integrating ventilation into cooling. The global appliance maker says it was the first in the industry to introduce an air fresh function several years ago.
The company’s “Air Fresh Master” system introduces controlled amounts of outside air into the cooling cycle, mixing it with conditioned indoor air before distribution. This enables simultaneous cooling and ventilation, helping maintain oxygen levels and reduce carbon dioxide build-up without opening windows.
According to him, conventional ACs remove heat from indoor spaces but do not exchange air.
Alongside ventilation, Hisense is incorporating artificial intelligence to improve airflow control. Demand for ACs is shifting towards AI-driven and health-focused features, he said.
The company has developed systems such as Air Fresh Master and Smart Eye, which can direct airflow to follow or avoid occupants using artificial intelligence, according to him.
The “Smart Eye” system detects human presence and adjusts airflow accordingly, either accelerating cooling or avoiding direct airflow for comfort.
This shifts ACs from fixed-output devices to responsive systems.
Performance also depends on heat exchange efficiency. Hisense has refined the fin design of evaporators and condensers to improve heat transfer. The improvement allows the use of smaller indoor and outdoor units while maintaining the same performance, reducing transport costs and installation space, he said.
Energy efficiency is addressed through inverter technology, which adjusts compressor speed continuously instead of cycling on and off. This enables rapid cooling at high frequency and lower power consumption once the set temperature is reached. According to him, inverter models deliver faster cooling and reduce power use after stabilising the temperature.
Hisense also offers a “Smart” mode that automatically adjusts temperature and fan speed based on room conditions. In the mode, users can optimise power consumption with a single command, he said.
Leung also stressed maintenance and correct installation. Filters should be cleaned every two to three months, and proper installation remains essential for performance and durability, according to him.
With fresh air integration, AI-driven airflow, and improved heat exchange, Hisense is positioning its ACs as integrated indoor climate systems rather than standalone cooling devices, reflecting a broader industry shift towards combining comfort, efficiency, and healthier indoor air.
