Why Europe still has no air conditioning — even as temperatures hit 40°C

France, Spain, UK battered by record heat yet home AC penetration is just 20% — compared with 90% in the US

Residents rely on fans, ice packs and cold showers as heat-related deaths mount

High energy costs, aging buildings, administrative rules and carbon-neutrality targets all stand in the way

Air conditioning outdoor units installed on the exterior wall of an apartment building in Madrid, Spain, on May 23 (local time). [Getty Images]

"No air conditioning!"

Europe is in the grip of its worst heat waves on record, with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius, yet a severe shortage of cooling facilities is compounding the toll. Even as climate change makes extreme heat a recurring reality, high energy costs, aging architecture and carbon-neutrality policies are combining to slow the spread of air conditioning across the continent.

CNN cited five reasons why air conditioning remains scarce in Europe: low historical demand for cooling, cost burdens, building design, administrative regulations and climate policy.

Record June heat across Europe, yet home AC penetration sits at 20%

People cool off in the Trocadero fountain near the Eiffel Tower. [Reuters]

Record heat waves sweeping across Europe have triggered widespread power outages, train cancellations, school closures and reduced business hours.

France broke its hottest-day record — measured since weather observations began in 1947 — for two consecutive days. As of June 24, the national average of daytime and nighttime temperatures across 30 key monitoring stations stood at 30 degrees Celsius, surpassing the previous record of 29.8 degrees set the day before.

AFP estimated that about 44 million of France's 67 million people were under a red heat alert.

Children cool off in a fountain at City Park in Bradford, England, on June 24 (local time). [Getty Images]

In Spain, two elderly people died from heat-related illness after temperatures climbed above 40 degrees Celsius starting last weekend.

England and Wales also remain under red heat warnings. The UK Met Office said Hampshire recorded a high of 36.1 degrees Celsius on June 24 — the hottest June temperature ever recorded in the country, breaking the previous record of 35.6 degrees set in both 1957 and 1976 after nearly 50 years.

According to CNN, heat waves in Europe are intensifying due to climate change, yet air conditioning is present in only about 20 percent of European homes — a stark contrast to the roughly 90 percent penetration rate in the United States.

The network said "heat waves are starting earlier and temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius are continuing day after day, yet countless residents are still getting through the heat by relying on electric fans, ice packs and cold showers."

Cooling demand, electricity costs and building structures all play a role

Air conditioning outdoor units installed on a residential building in Madrid, Spain, in 2022. [Getty Images]

Experts point to historically low demand for cooling as the primary reason air conditioning has spread so slowly in Europe. While heat waves occurred in the past, prolonged periods of extreme heat were rare. In northern Europe particularly, there was almost no environment requiring cooling equipment, and for a long time air conditioners were seen as a luxury rather than a household necessity.

Brian Motherway, director of energy efficiency and inclusive transitions at the International Energy Agency (IEA), said "there was simply no culture of air conditioning in Europe" and that "until relatively recently, cooling was not considered essential."

Electricity costs add another layer of burden. CNN said energy prices in Europe are higher than in the United States, while average incomes in many European countries are comparatively lower, making the ongoing cost of running an air conditioner a significant financial strain for many households.

Building design also holds back air conditioning adoption. Europe has a large stock of older buildings constructed before air conditioning became widespread, and retrofitting them with central cooling systems requires considerable time and expense.

Housing in the United Kingdom and other parts of northern Europe was built without any consideration for summer heat waves. CNN noted that one in six homes in the UK was built before 1900.

Administrative rules and net-zero targets make AC installation an uphill battle

Visitors seek shade around the Louvre museum in Paris on June 24 (local time) as the French capital endures another day of relentless heat. [Getty Images]

Administrative hurdles add yet another obstacle. Richard Salmon, managing director of UK air conditioning firm The Air Conditioning Company, said "in conservation areas or listed buildings, permit applications to install outdoor units are frequently rejected on the grounds that they damage the appearance of the structure."

Climate policy is also complicating wider air conditioning adoption.

The EU had already set a target of cutting carbon emissions 55 percent below 1990 levels by 2030 and achieving net zero by 2050. As an intermediate milestone, the EU agreed last December to reduce emissions by 90 percent from 1990 levels by 2040.

A man watches the sunrise in Berlin, Germany, on June 25 (local time). [Reuters]

Despite these barriers, experts expect demand for air conditioning to surge as Europe breaks temperature records year after year. The IEA projects that the number of air conditioning units in the EU will reach about 275 million by 2050 — more than double the 2019 figure.

yckim6452@heraldcorp.com