UK summer temperatures are now regularly exceeding 30C, and predictions suggest that by 2034, temperatures of 26C or above will occur for 50 nights a year. Last week, Baroness Brown of the Climate Change Committee (CCC) said cooling measures must be “rolled out at scale”, while the Conservatives have pledged to allow air conditioning in new homes if they win the next election.
Currently, building regulations require developers to consider passive cooling methods such as shutters, awnings and ventilation before installing air conditioning. Shadow energy secretary Clair Coutinho argued: “Why should Britain be one of the only countries to not have air conditioning? We already have one of the cleanest energy systems in the world – it should be used to make everyone’s lives better, not worse.”
Demand for air conditioning is soaring, with a 64% increase in AC unit sales between 2023 and 2024. The UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC) estimates that up to a third of British homes will have air conditioning by 2050. However, this shift is deeply political, with right-leaning groups prioritising comfort and left-leaning groups viewing AC as environmentally harmful.
In France, far-right figure Marine Le Pen has proposed a “major air-conditioning equipment plan” for public buildings, while Green party head Marine Tondelier dismissed the idea, advocating for greener cities and energy-efficient buildings. French energy minister Agnès Pannier-Runacher warned that large-scale air conditioning would heat up streets, exacerbating heatwaves. “It’s a bad solution,” she said.
Alternatives to conventional AC include air coolers using water evaporation, district cooling networks in Paris and Stockholm, and cool roof technologies. However, Conservative MP Andrew Bowie urged London mayor Sadiq Khan to remove “ridiculous” planning regulations limiting AC installation, saying: “We must move away from this poverty mindset on reducing energy usage.”
