History of US Presidents And Air Conditioning Did you know that President Taft attempted to install a type of air conditioning that expanded into the West Wing in 1909? The experimental system consisted of electric fans that blew over great bends of ice in the Attic cooling the air which was forced through the air ducts of the heating system. This never worked well enough and was soon abandoned. Taft Also built a sleeping porch a screened in room on the roof of the White House for a cool place to sleep amid breezes on summer evenings.