5 ms·

I'm 100% certain that this is not the norm. However, there is good precedent for being more conservative with the AC than most Americans are. In at least one ma

I'm 100% certain that this is not the norm. However, there is good precedent for being more conservative with the AC than most Americans are. In at least one major European country, that is actually the law: new office buildings cannot have traditional AC.

gsich 8y ago
Probably because most European buildings don't heat up that much. In the US there seems to be a likeness for no-insulation and paperthin walls.
- sgc 8y ago
  That's naive. Modern building code in the US is pretty/very heavy on energy efficiency. And of course European buildings heat up.
  - dzhiurgis 8y ago
    All new buildings in EU now have to be A+ energy efficient meaning it’s nearly self sufficient - heats up from human heat and air-to-air heat pump.
    - sgc 8y ago
      So, basically the same legislation as what California had implemented a few years before the EU.
- carlmr 8y ago
  I'm not sure if the country mentioned above is Germany, but well in Germany I've been in many (small and large) corporate offices without AC. It just gets hot in summer. I honestly find working to be harder in that environment. German summers are traditionally not that long, but still it's two months of lower productivity. There is one benefit though, shorts and sandals is accepted as office clothing.
  - ido 8y ago
    and people commonly take weeks or even a month off in summer.
- fgonzag 8y ago
  You do realize that wooden houses are much better insulated than brick houses? With brick you have to add an insulating layer (Styrofoam or other materials), with wood the walls themselves are the insulating material. I live in a country that uses traditional brick and mortar construction and I can tell you that American homes are far easier to condition climatically.
marcoperaza 8y ago
What justification is offered for reducing people’s quality of life like this?
- ionised 8y ago
  Climate change.
- adrianratnapala 8y ago
  Virtue.
  - Letmesleep69 8y ago
    Or possibly to fight the climate change that will cause millions or billions to need to move in the next century.
- mandelbrotwurst 8y ago
  Air conditioning uses large amounts of energy. This use has costs. Using it less reduces these costs.
  - loco5niner 8y ago
    Airbags have cost too. And big, fancy jets.
Spooky23 8y ago
My guess is that new office buildings have alternatives built into the design. It’s possible to build buildings that are reasonably comfortable in high heat. It just costs more than a generic box with AC.
jandrese 8y ago
I'm guessing this is not France, Spain, Greece, etc... You can get away with no A/C a lot easier if you're almost in the Arctic circle. In reality I bet this rule has a fairly minimal impact on energy consumption because the buildings didn't need much air conditioning to start with.

gsich 8y ago

Probably because most European buildings don't heat up that much. In the US there seems to be a likeness for no-insulation and paperthin walls.

sgc 8y ago
That's naive. Modern building code in the US is pretty/very heavy on energy efficiency. And of course European buildings heat up.
- dzhiurgis 8y ago
  All new buildings in EU now have to be A+ energy efficient meaning it’s nearly self sufficient - heats up from human heat and air-to-air heat pump.
  - sgc 8y ago
    So, basically the same legislation as what California had implemented a few years before the EU.
carlmr 8y ago
I'm not sure if the country mentioned above is Germany, but well in Germany I've been in many (small and large) corporate offices without AC. It just gets hot in summer. I honestly find working to be harder in that environment. German summers are traditionally not that long, but still it's two months of lower productivity. There is one benefit though, shorts and sandals is accepted as office clothing.
- ido 8y ago
  and people commonly take weeks or even a month off in summer.
fgonzag 8y ago
You do realize that wooden houses are much better insulated than brick houses? With brick you have to add an insulating layer (Styrofoam or other materials), with wood the walls themselves are the insulating material. I live in a country that uses traditional brick and mortar construction and I can tell you that American homes are far easier to condition climatically.

marcoperaza 8y ago

What justification is offered for reducing people’s quality of life like this?

ionised 8y ago
Climate change.
adrianratnapala 8y ago
Virtue.
- Letmesleep69 8y ago
  Or possibly to fight the climate change that will cause millions or billions to need to move in the next century.
mandelbrotwurst 8y ago
Air conditioning uses large amounts of energy. This use has costs. Using it less reduces these costs.
- loco5niner 8y ago
  Airbags have cost too. And big, fancy jets.

Spooky23 8y ago

My guess is that new office buildings have alternatives built into the design. It’s possible to build buildings that are reasonably comfortable in high heat. It just costs more than a generic box with AC.

jandrese 8y ago

I'm guessing this is not France, Spain, Greece, etc... You can get away with no A/C a lot easier if you're almost in the Arctic circle. In reality I bet this rule has a fairly minimal impact on energy consumption because the buildings didn't need much air conditioning to start with.