 The experiment really had a goal of determining if air conditioning could be affordable for middle-class homeowners. Elizabeth Brummett works at the Texas Historical Commission. In 1955, fewer than 2% of homes in the U.S. had some form of air conditioning. Brummett says one of the reasons central AC wasn't common in homes was because of mortgage lending practices. Lenders at this time were very nervous about the cost of operation for air conditioning systems, and so they would require a higher income level to purchase an air-conditioned home.