Italy is the largest heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) market in Europe. The country leads the ranking with a market value of more than 1.5 billion euros in 2018 and a growth rate of 9% in 2019. About 7% of residential buildings in the country have air conditioners. Italian market demand for air conditioners reached 1.1 million air conditioning units in 2018, and sales of air conditioners for homes and businesses are growing rapidly every year. Third, the urban heat island effect, which is stronger in denser and greyer European cities than in US suburban metropolises. Even though they depend on clean energy, air conditioners heat the outside air just as they cool the inside. This means that the comfort of those who have air conditioning feeds the discomfort of those who do not. Researchers at the National Center for Meteorological Research in France concluded that if Paris doubled its air conditioning by 2030, it could raise outdoor temperatures in the city by 3 to 4 degrees Fahrenheit. As a result, policymakers have been very reluctant to encourage the adoption of air conditioning, except in vulnerable places such as nursing homes. Also remember to wear lightweight, sweat-wicking clothing made of a breathable material such as cotton. You can also pack a portable fan and cooling cloth to regulate your temperature when sightseeing or spending time in rooms without air conditioning.
Paper towels can also work in an emergency, although they are not as environmentally friendly and may absorb less moisture depending on the quality. Only a few of my clients had air conditioning, but I worked mainly for SMEs. There, yes, it`s hell in summer when the buildings are covered with windows from top to bottom and are not air-conditioned. Your partners will surely agree with you: air conditioning in summer would be very convenient! Travelers like me who are obsessed with air conditioners should be aware of the new measures in Europe that limit the use of air conditioning in summer and heat in winter. It is part of a wider EU effort to reduce gas demand by 15%. The EU hopes to achieve this target by March, although some countries have implemented different enforcement measures, some of which will enter into force by the end of 2023. The France is considered one of the leading air conditioning markets in Europe. Its market represents more than 1 billion euros in 2018 and its growth rate was 13% in 2019. Currently, only about 5% of homes in France have air conditioning, but sales of air conditioners have risen sharply in recent years. The market demand in the country was 485,000 air conditioners in 2018 and is growing rapidly every year. However, air conditioners are not yet very common in most commercial and residential buildings. The many old stone buildings with thick walls in the countryside are part of the reason, as it can be quite difficult to install air conditioners.
There are also strict restrictions that prevent the changes needed to install air conditioners in historic buildings. Unfortunately, lack of air conditioning and summer heat waves can be deadly, as more than 14,000 people died in France during the record-breaking 2003 heat wave. Weather France, the country`s national weather service, also warned that the number of extreme heat waves is expected to double in the not-too-distant future. As temperatures rise inexorably, science confirms that until greenhouse gas emissions are contained, the world finds itself in a seemingly inseparable nexus – the so-called vicious cycle of air conditioning. Despite these new regulations, air conditioning is still rare in much of Europe. As a result, travelers are likely to have limited access to air conditioning, regardless of the country they visit. The perceptibility of the temperature difference ultimately depends on the buildings in which tourists enter. Second, electricity is expensive.
Long before the war in Ukraine plunged the continent into an energy crisis, EU electricity prices were more than double the US average, while incomes are lower. In 2016, for example, retail electricity prices in Germany were about three times higher than in Texas. This is partly because the continent is investing heavily in clean energy. Ironically, Bourquin said, the coming gas crisis could actually help establish air conditioning — by encouraging Europeans to replace gas heaters with energy-efficient heat pumps that can also run air conditioning in the summer. Fifth, it is the holidays. Many Europeans take long summer holidays. In France, even air conditioners are on vacation. Almost three out of four Europeans said they would travel this summer. Those who stay at home participate in the rich tradition of the continent`s public space, such as beer gardens, café terraces and public parks. Or take a nap – doze off during the hottest part of the day. Of course, Europe has fewer air conditioners than the United States. But one thing you need to understand is that it`s cooler there, much less humid, and the houses are better insulated.
Temperatures rise in summer, of course, but many factories and offices in many countries close in August, when the temperature is at its highest. “Guests can control temperatures in their individual rooms,” an IHG spokesperson confirmed via email. “We are following the latest guidelines on air conditioning in hotels issued by local authorities.” But for others, it was time for a change. Amid the record-breaking heat, they were ready to embrace what many in Europe have long dismissed as an unnecessary luxury and a planet-destroying threat: air conditioning. Sales of portable air conditioners rose 2,420 percent in a week, British retailer Sainsbury`s said Monday. And an increase in demand for centralised air conditioning units in London has made it possible to book some installers by autumn. In addition, passive cooling strategies, long common in the Mediterranean and other places accustomed to scorching heat, require natural ventilation and shading: opening windows at night and lowering blinds in the morning. According to a study, passive cooling could reduce the energy needs of air conditioning by 70%. But why weren`t European households already equipped with air conditioning? And will Europe fall victim to an “American dependence on air conditioning”, as climate scientist Stan Cox has warned? There is good news, as more and more offices are equipped with air conditioning. If you`re lucky, a simple taxi ride with the windows open will cause excessive sweating. A quarter of French offices and half of offices in Germany are air-conditioned. Many hotels, department stores, theatres, supermarkets and museums are as well.
Given the outdated infrastructure of many European buildings, installing air conditioning would be a huge undertaking, which is why many buildings in Europe still lack it. For this reason, equipping buildings with air conditioning could potentially incur charges for travelers to cover the new associated costs. The cities here are not designed for rising temperatures and some historic buildings are not even allowed to install a modern cooling system. Air conditioners are becoming increasingly popular in the country, but are still not widely used in most commercial and residential buildings. During heat waves, portable refrigerators and fans in stores sell out quickly, and people use social media to share information about finding air-conditioned places nearby. Air conditioning gradually became an integral part of everyday life for Germans. – Well-controlled air conditioning increases productivity. But here`s my personal little crusade: U.S. offices have set their air conditioning to 70°F, which is the ideal temperature, according to studies from the 1960s. But this research was based on the metabolism of a 40-year-old man.
Gentlemen, you can wear your costumes in both summer and winter. But what about us, the women who have since entered the business world? We freeze in the offices in the summer! New studies have shown that 76°F is more appropriate.