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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u/NicoToscani Jun 26 '26

I remember checking into a nice hotel in Paris and the AC wasn’t working, in summer, top floor room, and they acted like I was throwing a Mariah Carey level diva fit when I insisted they move my wife and I to another room.

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u/iamapizza Jun 26 '26

I was in southern Spain in March a few years ago, it was 27c and I was sweating. I asked about the AC in my room not working, the front desk lady helpfully explained that they keep the AC off until summer when it's hot. We were looking at each other like freaks. I then asked if I could have a fan and she was shocked.

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u/Fabulous_Ninja119 Jun 26 '26 edited Jun 26 '26

I had a similar experience in Germany.

Honestly this is truly the one and maybe only thing I can think of where it feels like Europe as a whole is living in the stone ages. I can't understand it. It makes far too much fucking sense to use AC when it's fucking 90-100 degrees outside

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u/TheBSisReal Jun 26 '26

Yes it makes sense when it’s super hot outside. European summers used to have a heatwave *maybe* every other summer. So in much of Western Europe, AC just didn’t make much sense until something drastically changed.

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u/[deleted] Jun 26 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/Aonswitch Jun 26 '26

As an American I wouldn’t put up with heat like that for ten seconds. It’s sad y’all can’t just upgrade and instead defend your mediocrity

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u/Ok_Preparation694 Jun 26 '26

And that’s one of the reasons why we are frying in Europe. The planet cannot support more people living like the Americans - the wasteful way. But hey, when we will all install the AC units, they’ll be useful for more than a week a year since it will just speedrun global warming. 🙃

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u/Your-Dads_Boyfriend Jun 26 '26 edited Jun 26 '26

Sad you're getting downvoted when you are correct. It's not just energy use, though using fossil fuels to power AC is even worse and since most of America is NOT fueled by renewables (only 25%) the burning of fossil fuels for AC usage does in fact accelerate climate change.

But on top of the energy use to power AC, AC literally causes the outside temperature to increase, as it moves hot air from inside to the outside. Thus further increasing the rise of temperatures and causing more AC use. It's a terrible cycle, the more you use AC, the hotter you make it outside, so the more you use it. It's not really sustainable long term, even if every AC was powered using renewable resources.

Clearly people here hate facts though and I know this will get downvoted as well.

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u/cheapgentleman Jun 26 '26

How hot do you make it outside when you use AC?

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u/Your-Dads_Boyfriend Jun 26 '26

One AC unit? Not a lot. A cities worth of AC units, quite a bit. In dense urban areas, heat exhausted from multiple AC units can raise outside air temperatures by more than 1°C (nearly 2°F). During extreme heatwaves, this localized bump can reach up to 3.6°C (almost 7 degrees) in the streets at night.

https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Impact-of-AC-on-air-temperature-these-maps-show-the-temperature-increase-due-to-AC_fig3_338521391

https://news.asu.edu/content/excess-heat-air-conditioners-causes-higher-nighttime-temperatures

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u/Ok_Preparation694 Jun 26 '26

Yep, thanks for that. It’s not even accounting the material cost of building AC (not many recyclable parts) nor the fact that the coolants used in the ACs are responsible for global warming as well.

Shouldn’t have said anything, people are too focused on their personal experience and personal opinion, seeking to find an excuse for their wastefulness/short-sightedness. Reality is one, its interpreations - endless.