Worried about the next heatwave? How southern Europeans keep their homes cool without air conditioner

illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day, reviewed by our editorial team. Read the full piece on Euronews or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: Southern Europeans are showing how traditional home design and daily routines can mitigate extreme heat without relying on air conditioning, as record-breaking May temperatures in northern Europe exceeded 30°C
• This reempahasizes the strain heatwaves place on buildings and energy systems

🔭 The context: Homes in northern Europe are built to retain heat, exacerbating indoor temperatures during heatwaves
• In contrast, Mediterranean architecture, as seen in Sicily, incorporates passive cooling: external shading, thick walls, light-colored coverings, and siestas to avoid peak heat hours
• Simple methods like damp clothing or sheets to exploit evaporative cooling are also effective
• Climate projections suggest such heatwaves will become more frequent and intense due to human-caused climate change

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Reducing reliance on air conditioning lowers electricity demand and avoids emissions associated with refrigerants and fossil-fuel-based power
• Widespread adoption of passive cooling strategies can decrease the climate footprint of residential buildings, mitigating the energy sector’s contribution to global warming

⏭️ What’s next: Governments and urban planners may encourage heat-adapted building codes, public cooling spaces, and educational campaigns for households
• Behavioral adaptations, such as midday rest and evening activity shifts, could complement longer-term climate adaptation measures

💬 One quote: “Keeping curtains, blinds or makeshift window coverings closed makes a huge difference to the temperature inside the house.” – Ruth Wright, AP

📈 One stat: Air conditioning and fans together consume 10% of global electricity, with up to 70% of peak residential demand in some regions used for cooling on the hottest days.

Track the real‑world impact behind the sustainability headlines. Illuminem’s Data Hub™ offers transparent performance data and climate targets of companies driving the transition.

Click for more news covering the latest on climate change adaptation and subscribe to our newsletter for the stories shaping the future of sustainability.