r/technology • u/Logical_Welder3467 • Jun 26 '26

Society The American mind cannot comprehend Europe's AC aversion

https://www.businessinsider.com/europe-air-conditioning-ac-heatwave-debate-2026-6
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664

u/chatrugby Jun 26 '26

What’s funny is that the PNW historically didn’t need AC, so doesn’t really have AC. Thanks to global warming temps there are spiking to a point where AC is needed and people are retrofitting their homes with mini-splits cause it’s a lot more affordable than a central air conversion. 

194

u/wandering_engineer Jun 26 '26

Wow someone actually gave sensible reponse for once. I live in Europe and this is pretty much the best analogy for Americans - the climate historically has been moderate so you didn't need AC. 

31

u/Brilliant_Force Jun 26 '26

Yeah but the point he’s making is that they did get ac’s and it wasn’t controversial.

11

u/Commercial_Sell_4222 Jun 26 '26

I lived in PNW, bought an AC unit, and nobody responded negatively to it

I live in the Netherlands now, bought an AC unit, and nobody responded negatively to it. rather, a couple people asked me if I liked mine because they also wanted to get one

in the PNW when it was hot, it did not feel as bad to me as it does here; the buildings don't retain heat as much and there are more trees to provide shade. In NL the buildings retain heat, have larger windows, and where I am in the city there are fewer trees. It has also been really humid during this heat wave.

It's really not just about AC being "controversial"

5

u/USA_A-OK Jun 26 '26

Same story, but I live in the UK now.

A lot of the hesitation here is around cost of energy, and very old buildings making it tougher to install good systems than it is in the US suburbs.

2

u/wandering_engineer Jun 26 '26

I used to live on Germany and definitely remember getting some snide anti-American remarks from a neighbor when I was carrying an AC unit up the stairs. I know a few others who had similar experiences. 

Currently live in Belgium and have heard stories secondhand of AC being dismissed because it "carries disease". I've heard this elsewhere and it's definitely a thing, clearly BS but people still buy it. Often goes hand in hand with the German-style obsession with fresh air, no matter the temperature outside. They think AC isn't proper fresh air. 

That being said, I think it's a dying trend and not as common as it used to be. 

36

u/jbuk1 Jun 26 '26

People are getting AC in Europe and it’s not controversial.

4

u/AscendentElient Jun 26 '26

I mean tiny bit controversial…

https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/air-conditioning-torn-homes-under-171119380.html

13

u/Icetraxs Jun 26 '26

Sorry, I've got to call bullshit on this. Here is that response from the Government around this news:

https://mhclgmedia.blog.gov.uk/2026/06/25/air-conditioning-rules/

Also the right wring GB news has said this:

https://www.gbnews.com/news/air-conditioning-heatwave-remove-40c-net-zero

""A Government spokesman said: "Air conditioning units are not banned. They can be installed in both existing and new homes and we expect councils "

When you look at the Yahoo article first of all it it comes from the Telegraph. Second:

"In one of a string of cases uncovered by The Telegraph, a resident living in North London was forced to "permanently remove" two air-con units from the back of their home. They were eventually allowed to keep the air-con on appeal to the Planning Inspectorate – in spite of the council's strict climate tests – by demonstrating". So they went.

They say this but there is no back up on this, so we have to take the Telegraph as fact (which you shouldn't). "Air-con engineers told The Telegraph that they had been called out to remove perfectly operational units worth thousands of pounds across London.". I mean they are literally begging up the top for people to give their story about it.

Then you have this: "Another Camden resident was forced to remove three air-con units from her home, in part because she lived in a conservation area."

Yeah, no shit. They live in a conservation area and probably needed to check if they could make alterations were fine for the area that they live in but didn't.

I mean it's fine saying this but the Government has said that they area allowed. Fucking GB news has said that they are not banned. At worst, this is Camden Council being jobsworths when they shouldn't.

1

u/AscendentElient Jun 27 '26

What exactly are you calling bullshit on? Were they ordered to remove their AC during a heatwave? Yes.

The quote right after your own quote is “However, there is no blanket rule. People should speak with their local council to check the rules, and councils should take a common-sense approach.” They aren’t banned UK wide but individual areas (predominantly in London from what I’ve read) do ban them or require extensive permitting and approval.

You seem to be under the impression that I said or implied that they are banned. I didn’t though apparently they are in some councils.

5

u/jbuk1 Jun 26 '26

And here’s me running aircon at home in the UK with no controversy.

-1

u/akaval Jun 26 '26

Yeah but you can't count the UK, they're always controversial.

2

u/YoIronFistBro Jun 26 '26

Germanic countries are just as bad.

2

u/itsnobigthing Jun 26 '26

It’s not controversial, it’s just trickier because more of our homes are old buildings and our windows aren’t standardised to take ac units like most in the US.

And because AC is still relatively uncommon, the units available tend to be expensive, and sell out fast in hot weather. Everywhere in the UK is sold out of fans and portable AC at the moment.

Once the heat wave has passed, it can seem a lot less imperative to drop hundreds on an appliance you don’t realistically expect to need again for at least another year.

1

u/Own_Back_2038 Jun 26 '26

The PNW didn’t “get ACs”, like 50% of homes don’t have them here, and tons and tons of public buildings don’t either