UK Summer Heatwaves Increase Demand for Aircon

The temperature peaked at 36.4c on August 7th last year, the hottest temperature recorded since 2003. Around the same time searches for ‘air con installation’ also peaked in the UK, according to Google Trends. John Lewis retailers found that online searches for fans and air purifiers were up 31% last year, and air conditioners specifically are among the top 10 most searched items.

Longer, Hotter Summers

The UK’s changing weather pattern is increasing the demand for air conditioning, and scientists only predict this trend will continue further. As climate change continues Britain’s summers will be longer and hotter, and even winters will be milder. Scientists also predict that bouts of ‘extreme’ are likely to become much more common.

There has also been a shift in demographics through recent years, the population is aging and this is making air conditioning more necessary. Furthermore, as workplaces across the country encourage more staff to work from home, workers can no longer take shelter in the cool climate of their office building, and so they may be more likely to consider air con installation at home.

The Fears for Climate Change

The unfortunate irony is the fact that climate change has sparked the need for air con installation, but air con units will only exacerbate the climate problems further. The International Energy Agency predicts that the growing use of air conditioners in homes and offices will be one of the top drivers of global electricity demand over the next three decades. The only way to avoid this is to meet the extra electricity demand by renewable power. More and more people in homes and offices across Europe are turning to air con installation to make their summers a bit more bearable.