air conditioning

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Every new UK home should have air conditioning, say Liberal Democrats
a month ago
- Liberal Democrats propose that all new UK homes be built with air conditioning or other cooling systems to address the climate crisis.
- Passive cooling measures like planting more trees in residential areas are also necessary.
- Air conditioning should be mandatory in essential public buildings such as schools and health facilities.
- The UK has experienced hot weather alerts, with temperatures reaching 32°C in London and severe drought conditions.
- Industry estimates show the number of UK homes with air conditioning has doubled in the past three years, but still only covers about 4 million of 30 million homes.
- Polling indicates that 28% of people bought fans or air conditioning during recent heatwaves, and 26% felt unwell or faint.
- Lib Dem spokespersons Tim Farron and Gideon Amos emphasize the need for government action to ensure homes are fit for future heatwaves.
- A study led by Imperial College London linked recent heatwaves to about 2,700 deaths, with over 40% attributed to human-caused global heating.
Families in London temporary housing told they cant use inbuilt air conditioning
2 months ago
- Homeless families in temporary housing at Britannia Point, London, were initially denied use of built-in air conditioning, described as 'not offered as an amenity', leading to two children being hospitalized during heatwaves.
- Residents faced stifling conditions in a glass-fronted, 19-storey block with limited window openings, making flats unbearably hot; some were threatened with high bills (up to £500) if they used air conditioning.
- After a complaint and Guardian report, the managing company, Aura Assets Management, reversed policy, stating air conditioning is now 'fully operational' and tenants are advised to use it sensibly to avoid high bills.
- The block is owned by Criterion Capital, while tenancies are managed by Aura Assets Management; emails initially denied air conditioning access, but the company later said the situation 'has since changed' and the earlier decision was based on prior arrangements.
Is an air-conditioning revolution coming to Europe?
2 months ago
- As heat waves become more frequent in Europe, demand for air conditioners (ACs) is rising sharply, with the International Energy Agency predicting widespread adoption by 2050.
- Politicians are politicizing ACs, with the right pushing for expansion and the left raising equity concerns about high-energy cooling favoring the rich.
- ACs in Europe are increasingly seen as essential for productivity, health, and survival, especially for vulnerable groups like the elderly, with estimates showing they prevented nearly 200,000 premature deaths in 2019 among those over 65.
- Europe is warming faster than other continents, with countries like the UK, Switzerland, Norway, and Finland facing the largest relative increases in cooling needs if global temperatures rise 2°C above preindustrial levels.

air conditioning

Every new UK home should have air conditioning, say Liberal Democrats

Families in London temporary housing told they cant use inbuilt air conditioning

Is an air-conditioning revolution coming to Europe?