7 ms·

I've never understood why (in some countries) public places are so cooled down in the summer and so heated up in the winter. In Japan, in the summer they put th

I've never understood why (in some countries) public places are so cooled down in the summer and so heated up in the winter. In Japan, in the summer they put the ACs to what feels like 16ºC, so whenever you go from outdoor (very hot and humid) to indoor, you feel like you'll freeze (because you're dressed for 30ºC). In the winter, they put the ACs to 25ºC, so you move from outdoor to indoor, it's extremely hot and sticky (as you're dressed for 5ºC). Why not meet in the middle and use 21ºC or something all year round? (Or save energy and just change the temperature a little to make it a bit more bearable.)

Markoff 4y ago
Pff, this is nothing try travelling by bus/minivan in Thailand, now that's freezer box.
cko 4y ago
I saw a video about Hong Kong where colder shopping malls are considered more upscale. Waste is a Veblen good in that context, I guess.
- manuelabeledo 4y ago
  I think we might have seen the same video. It happens in other places in Asia as well, not only Hong Kong. It's quite uncomfortable to go from ~34C and 98% humidity, to an environment at ~20C and less than 50% humidity. I'm surprised people don't get more respiratory illnesses more often.
  - greatgib 4y ago
    When I was in Asia, I experienced that also. First it was hard for me and making me sick, but then I got used to it also. For a westerner, it might be hard to imagine constantly living with high temperatures like that. And for example having to sleep everyday with such climate.
    - cassianoleal 4y ago
      > For a westerner, it might be hard to imagine constantly living with high temperatures like that. Plenty of "western" countries and regions have similar climates.
  - calyth2018 4y ago
    I've gotten faint simply exiting an air-con'd MTR to the full heat 100% humidity at an outdoor station. It's a waste for the acclimatized locals.
bamboozled 4y ago
I hate this about Japan too. In Tokyo, you sweat to death on the subway, then get off with wet underwear into the cold street and yeah, summer trains feel so cold it's like having a high fever when sitting on the train.
- stefandesu 4y ago
  It's very weird. In my university dorm in the common room, there was always a fight between the local students and the exchange students about the AC temperature.
- thematrixturtle 4y ago
  JR commuter trains "solve" this problem by having some carriages on longer trains intentionally set to higher temperatures, signposted 弱冷房車 ("weak cooling car").
  - bamboozled 4y ago
    This is good if you have time to change cars
cameronh90 4y ago
Myself and many others seem to find 21c too cold in winter and too hot in summer in some buildings. I think it's possibly due to radiant temperature: for example, the walls/roof/floor are hotter in summer so you need to cool the air down more to make up for that. That said, Japan and some other places (Singapore!) take it to the extreme, and in a modern well insulated building, this is much less needed than it used to be. Maybe it's a hang-over from when wall insulation was terrible? What I really don't understand is why, in London, the short distance commuter trains and buses are heated so warm in the winter. I'm only on the train for 10 minutes, why would I want to strip down!?
- edwcross 4y ago
  Could it be for driver comfort? I sometimes have the impression that buses have their temperature tuned for the driver, who's staying in the bus for hours and has everyone's safety at least partially related to their comfort. But I find it impossible to confirm this by asking the bus companies why their buses are set this way (e.g. when windows were closed during Covid at about 20°C).
  - Fatnino 4y ago
    The bus company doesn't set the temperature, the individual drivers do. That should explain everything.
- wink 4y ago
  Oh yeah, I was soaked in the rain in Singapore once and took the bus home, I was basically sure I'd catch a cold, it was like stepping outside in the winter at home after taking a shower...
- andreareina 4y ago
  In Singapore using a/c is still seen as a luxury so it's a selling point for the malls.
- fomine3 4y ago
  Possibly the engine is too inefficient so the heat is virtually free?
LatteLazy 4y ago
Cooling a LOT significantly reduces humidity. Some places do this to avoid damage to goods.

Markoff 4y ago

Pff, this is nothing try travelling by bus/minivan in Thailand, now that's freezer box.

cko 4y ago

I saw a video about Hong Kong where colder shopping malls are considered more upscale. Waste is a Veblen good in that context, I guess.

manuelabeledo 4y ago
I think we might have seen the same video. It happens in other places in Asia as well, not only Hong Kong. It's quite uncomfortable to go from ~34C and 98% humidity, to an environment at ~20C and less than 50% humidity. I'm surprised people don't get more respiratory illnesses more often.
- greatgib 4y ago
  When I was in Asia, I experienced that also. First it was hard for me and making me sick, but then I got used to it also. For a westerner, it might be hard to imagine constantly living with high temperatures like that. And for example having to sleep everyday with such climate.
  - cassianoleal 4y ago
    > For a westerner, it might be hard to imagine constantly living with high temperatures like that. Plenty of "western" countries and regions have similar climates.
- calyth2018 4y ago
  I've gotten faint simply exiting an air-con'd MTR to the full heat 100% humidity at an outdoor station. It's a waste for the acclimatized locals.

bamboozled 4y ago

I hate this about Japan too. In Tokyo, you sweat to death on the subway, then get off with wet underwear into the cold street and yeah, summer trains feel so cold it's like having a high fever when sitting on the train.

stefandesu 4y ago
It's very weird. In my university dorm in the common room, there was always a fight between the local students and the exchange students about the AC temperature.
thematrixturtle 4y ago
JR commuter trains "solve" this problem by having some carriages on longer trains intentionally set to higher temperatures, signposted 弱冷房車 ("weak cooling car").
- bamboozled 4y ago
  This is good if you have time to change cars

cameronh90 4y ago

Myself and many others seem to find 21c too cold in winter and too hot in summer in some buildings. I think it's possibly due to radiant temperature: for example, the walls/roof/floor are hotter in summer so you need to cool the air down more to make up for that. That said, Japan and some other places (Singapore!) take it to the extreme, and in a modern well insulated building, this is much less needed than it used to be. Maybe it's a hang-over from when wall insulation was terrible? What I really don't understand is why, in London, the short distance commuter trains and buses are heated so warm in the winter. I'm only on the train for 10 minutes, why would I want to strip down!?

edwcross 4y ago
Could it be for driver comfort? I sometimes have the impression that buses have their temperature tuned for the driver, who's staying in the bus for hours and has everyone's safety at least partially related to their comfort. But I find it impossible to confirm this by asking the bus companies why their buses are set this way (e.g. when windows were closed during Covid at about 20°C).
- Fatnino 4y ago
  The bus company doesn't set the temperature, the individual drivers do. That should explain everything.
wink 4y ago
Oh yeah, I was soaked in the rain in Singapore once and took the bus home, I was basically sure I'd catch a cold, it was like stepping outside in the winter at home after taking a shower...
andreareina 4y ago
In Singapore using a/c is still seen as a luxury so it's a selling point for the malls.
fomine3 4y ago
Possibly the engine is too inefficient so the heat is virtually free?

LatteLazy 4y ago

Cooling a LOT significantly reduces humidity. Some places do this to avoid damage to goods.