What’s up with Europeans being against AC ?

[joseline]

i have lived in France for a couple of years and I’ve been to Germany, Belgium, Spain and Portugal. Now in Portugal they like to use AC in public buildings at least but that’s not the case in other EU countries. Specially France.

in France there are no AC in public buildings, public transports and in homes. Even in late model city buses, the drivers just refuse to use them even though the late model buses must have working AC compressors. And I’ve noticed that even in 35 to 40 degrees heat, I notice drivers even in late model cars with their windows down. Even those who drive luxury cars. Range rovers, Mercedes BMW, Audi ECT. Even during heatwaves many drivers in their late model cars drive with their windows down.

and I don’t think it’s only because many people can’t afford AC. It’s just that many people seems to have a weird dislike against the use of AC and would rather be uncomfortable because many Europeans love to play eco warrior.

why are Europeans weird with air conditioning ?

Not that sensible if all that’s coming in is hot air.

Then explain the actual temperatures in my house yesterday. OVO didn’t pop round, I’d have remembered.

Never heard of breeze? A house with a south facing side will have one that faces north too - you need to get the cooler air flowing through the house. It must be absolutely stifling being in a house with no windows open. Mind you I know some people never open any windows ever, which is weird as fuck if you ask me.

I can’t explain it, because it makes no sense whatsoever from a scientific standpoint. Hot air coming in from outside cannot cool the air inside.

Have you ever been in a greenhouse?

I would recommend trying one out for few minutes, maybe try 5 minutes with the door and windows open and then shut the windows and see how long you last.

It can depend on your house. Yesterday it was 28 degrees outside, I had my windows and doors open and my living room was so chilly that I had to go outside because my feet were cold. Two foot thick walls, one tiny window and tiled floors - so my cottage is like some of the places you get in Spain that are built for the heat.

Upstairs was a different matter, but I left the windows open, drew the curtains over and by bedtime it was a comfortable temperature. I hate having closed windows.

From a scientific standpoint, heating and how we experience the heat is a lot more complicated than the air temperature alone. Air flow, humidity, shade and radiant direct sunlight are all factors, and air temperature is not constant and uniform in a given space.

I'm sure France has AC in its supermarkets and shopping malls.

You tend not to find it in Germany and France but certainly a lot in Spain, Portugal and Italy. I think that it may be because Germany and France generally only need it for a few months

I think it’s more reasonable to ask why is America so weird about aircon? In NY in the summer I have to carry a sweater with me because public buildings have such aggressive aircon it’s cold (and in the winter I need to wear a skimpy top under my sweater and coat because the heating is too hot).

Thats just crazy.

I see people in expensive cars with climate control with the windows down all the time. Like having the fridge on and the fridge door open. Not a Euro thing

ac is amazing and I’ll never stop using it.

Try having an open-plan house that faces east/west. There is no cooler air available.

Well it's everywhere in Spain. I believe that's part of Europe. You see them driving with the windows open because they're smoking.

I’ve got it in Spain and energy is cheaper too

I don't know OP, what's up with Americans being against making even the smallest effort to slow global warming?

American buildings heated up to 22 in winter and cooled to 18 in summer is just dumb.

Europeans have perfected the use of shutters and blinds - over thousands of years - to make be best of the temperate times of day
even in the days before electricity
ain't broke, don't fix it

Aircon in public buildings for respite in modern heat is sane
but it need not be everywhere

As an Irish European 😎, for the 2 or 3 days a year we'd get to use it, it's not really worth it!

Why are Americans so obsessed with buckets of ice in everything?

France is a big country with variable weather fromt he North with is very similar to the UK to the deep south where summers can get very hot. They tend to have air con on trains and in supermarkets and public buildi gs, just like the UK.

The South where is is commonly over 30 degrees many days in July and August, is more set up.for.hot weather - siestas, shade, misters and fans. Some hotels and restaursants have air con these days. We stayed in an older hotel in the South at the end of last week - it had no air con but had window shutters and ceiling fans and that was fine in 32 degree heat.

I live in London and we have been fine this week with temperatirea up to 34 degrees and no air con at home. We slow down, use fans and keep windows closed and covered in the day and open at night.

One thing I havr noticed is European cities have a lot more trees and green space - that keeps us shaded and cooler.

Finally some sense. Why would you not use something that makes life easier. Loads of things get worse when no one has had enough sleep road rage rows in supermarkets mistakes being made at work you can see the drain on peoples faces lately where they are not sleeping in this heat!

I love air con. I live in London in a very built up area and there is no cooler air or breeze to let in! I've lived in more rural settings and it does at least cool down a little in the evenings, not in London. It just gets hotter and hotter.

I've had portable air con in the bedroom for years and just invested in decent air con for downstairs. I have no regrets and no shame in using it. I'll be upgrading the upstairs one next year. Some places in the UK may well only get a few hot days a year but in London we're in I think the 3rd or 4th spell of close to 30 already this year, with more to come.

In my experience, you're right about Europe. I spent short periods living in Italy, Switzerland and Germany. It's like air con didn't exist! At least here you can get it in some shops, cafes etc. In those countries it's just nowhere.

It doesn't cost me that much to run it. A lot less than it costs to heat the house in winter. It's worth it to me.

100% this.

This.

It was much the same in the U.K. - you were likely to ‘catch a chill’ from sitting in a draught. I would expect that the attitude has very largely died out now, though - it was more my grandparents’ generation who’d have thought so, not my parents, who were born 1916 and 1918.

Courant d’air just means a draught (UK) /draft (US).

This. We just spent a week in France, every house had its shutters closed or outside blinds down.
Nice and cool inside.

I grew up in Germany and we had the same, early mornings all windows and doors open to let the air through and the same when the sun went down to air the house again.

I hate my English house with no way to properly keep the sun out, curtains are the same as outdoor blinds.