Refrigerators are one of the top energy consumers in homes.
In Northern climates, the outside temperature is colder than indoor
temperature at least 6 months of the year.

Why aren't they designed with "heat" exchangers to benefit from cool if
not frigid external air?

Even in warm climates (or summers) why isn't the same principle used to
vent the warm air from the compressor & coils outside rather than
loading the AC?

Presumably this could all be done by putting the evaporator coils
outside which would in turn decrease (or eliminate if cold enough) the
draw on the compressor during winter months.

Of course, installation might be a little more expensive, but with all
the focus on green-this and green-that why isn't this being done?


*You reminded me of something that I saw in several homes and apartments in
Sweden many, many years ago. In the kitchens they had a dedicated cabinet
that had a vent pipe to the outside. This made the cabinet cold enough to
keep things fresh, but not frozen. The winters are cold, dark and long
there so these cabinets could be used for many months.