Air-conditioned offices are commonplace in Europe, but it is exceedingly rare to find AC units in homes. According to one industry estimate, just 3 percent of homes in Germany and less than 5 percent of homes in France have air conditioning.
Most German homes do not have air conditioning and while there are many factors to consider, primarily: air conditioning is highly inefficient; it's expensive to install and operate; it's not cost effective, and it's only really beneficial for a few weeks out of each summer.
In Europe, according to one industry estimate, just 20% of homes have AC units. In the United Kingdom, which this week suffered through its highest recorded temperature, it's less than 5%. In Germany, it's only about 3%. That's compared to 90% in the US.
Fewer than 10% of households in Europe are air-conditioned. But as temperatures rise, that figure is set to climb. Rising AC use may present new challenges, as most systems are inefficient and produce emissions that contribute to climate change.
Japan ranked the highest in air-conditioning penetration rate, with around 91 percent of Japanese households having some form of air-conditioning.
Europe's building stock is old. In most EU countries, more than half the residential building stock was constructed before 1970. As a result, very few homes were built with A/C.
About 80% of homes in Australia now have air conditioning, and the electricity grid can struggle to cope with sudden spikes in demand for electricity during hot weather.
On a more individual level, many Brits were left sweltering without any relief for one simple fact: less than 5% of homes in the U.K. have air-conditioning.
Air conditioning demand in European countries in 2021
Russia lead the European demand with more than 1.9 million units, followed by Italy at around 1.5 million.
Before installing your commercial air conditioning system, you may need planning permission. Planning permission is the process of getting approval from the local government for work done on your building. Whether your property needs planning permission depends on the location and size of the air conditioning units.
Many tenants in Germany are not allowed to have A/Cs installed in the apartments they live in. Landlords do not seem to want to have those A/C boxes on the outer walls of their apartment blocks. Some authorities ban them and cite all kinds of reasons, including energy consumption.
Unlike in Canada and the United States, most European homes and apartments — and even lots of hotels — don't have air conditioning (AC). That's right.
Air Conditioning
There are a few exceptions though– Some very modern, expensive luxury flats have them. However, it is safe to say that you won't need air conditioning anyway. The temperature in Germany is rarely hot enough to require an air conditioner, even if it's hot outside.
The lack of ductworks in buildings means that the locals don't have the possibility of easily putting in air-conditioning even if they need to.
It's usually not hot enough to need it, and homes were built to retain heat, not stay cool. LONDON — Temperatures topping 100 degrees Fahrenheit (or about 37.7 Celsius) are difficult to endure anywhere, but it's particularly dangerous in Britain, where few homes are equipped with air-conditioning.
In homes, roll down shutters during the day and open windows during the night. Preventing the entrance of light during the heat of the day will prevent a residence from heating up too much, and the cooler temperatures of night and early morning will keep those temperatures lower. Drink more water.
In order to save energy, the installation of conventional air conditioning systems is generally banned. Local ordinance requires all applicants for authorisation to prove that the air conditioner is particularly energy-efficient.
Air-conditioned offices are commonplace in Europe, but it is exceedingly rare to find AC units in homes. According to one industry estimate, just 3 percent of homes in Germany and less than 5 percent of homes in France have air conditioning.
Air conditioning is very uncommon in local's houses in the Pacific Islands (such as Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, Cook Islands, Solomon Islands), for a few reasons: many houses are open-sided to keep cooler, so a/c would be useless.
The temperature of any building that old and that large is very difficult to manage. It might be shocking for you to hear that Buckingham Palace doesn't have an air conditioning system like the one in your home.
In Japan, the concept of heating/cooling the only room where the people are has taken root. Usually individual A/C units are installed in each room based on this concept. This means that each room has its own remote controller, so be careful not to mix up or lose these.
Spain announced last week that public places such as shopping malls, theaters, train stations and airports must set air conditioners at or above 27 degrees Celsius (80.6 degrees Fahrenheit) starting Tuesday, and private homes are recommended but not required to do the same.
It can get unbearably hot during our summers without one. No state in Australia mandates that a landlord must provide air conditioning. Victoria and Tasmania require heaters to be placed in living rooms but no such requirements are there for an air conditioning system.
Interesting Facts About Aircon
There is an evaporative cooler or refrigerated air conditioner in three out of every four Australian households – almost double the number of air conditioners in the late 1990s.
As summers get hotter and extreme heat events become more common, it is increasingly uncomfortable to live without air conditioning. According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the vast majority of American households do have air conditioning, but about 9% do not.