Air Conditioning

• Europe is experiencing an intense heat wave, with temperatures exceeding 40°C in Germany, Italy, and Spain, and France recording its hottest day since 1947. • The extreme weather has forced school closures across the UK, Belgium, and France as the continent struggles to cope with the heat. • The crisis highlights a cultural and architectural divide, as traditional European norms and building designs have historically discouraged the installation of air conditioning in homes.

• France is reconsidering its historical reluctance toward air conditioning as the country experiences its hottest day on record. • Current adoption rates in France are significantly lower than in other nations, with only 25% of households equipped with units compared to 50% in Spain and Italy and 90% in the US and Japan. • The extreme heatwave is creating a political divide over how to balance public health and cooling needs with energy consumption and environmental concerns.

As summers get hotter, air conditioner sales are booming. If you’re looking to invest, here’s what to considerWhen a heatwave struck the UK this week, Jon Connorton, a software developer, began monitoring temperatures inside his east Hampshire terrace house. With some rooms reaching close to 40C, it was time to deploy the air conditioner. “We just wheel it out in emergencies,” he said. “We were having trouble sleeping.”Connorton and his wife have a portable air conditioner. These plug-in devices cool interior air by removing heat from it and blowing that heat outside, typically via a large hose slung from a window or door. Continue reading...

Of 11 seasonal items in Guardian price comparison, six hit highest price in last three months, with some nearly doubling in price in last weekThe heatwave has triggered a surge in prices for seasonal items, with the cost of one inflatable hot tub nearly doubling in a week, while an industry expert said air conditioning units have risen by about 17% since April.The Guardian looked at the cost of popular items across a range of websites and examined their price on PriceRunner, an independent price comparison service. One of the biggest price increases was for the Bestway inflatable hot tub Lay-Z-Spa Cancún AirJet, which was available for £160 on 21 May but now retails for a minimum of £299. Continue reading...