The coolest homes in Europe, literally, can be found in the United Kingdom and Ireland, according to research conducted into average indoor temperatures, compared country to country. However, there are still widespread concerns for the elderly, as the climate looks set to heat up significantly over the next five years.
A new study by intelligent home climate company tado° has found that UK & Irish homes have the coolest indoor summer temperatures in Europe. The study was conducted in 150,000 European homes from June-August 2019 between 12-6pm. It shows an average indoor temperature of 22.3ºC and 21.5°C in UK and Irish households respectively. This means the UK and Ireland are the only European countries studied that fit within World Health Organisation ideal indoor temperature recommendations of 18-22ºC (depending on room function).
Whilst this is good news for the UK and Ireland, Met Office statistics show that the UK’s 10 hottest years on record have occurred since 2002, with the Earth’s global average temperature predicted to reach record warmth during the five-year period from 2020 to 2024.
Elderly people are particularly at risk, as they tend to struggle more in soaring temperatures due to a higher prevalence of chronic medical conditions and health issues. In 2018, a record of 220 million people over the age of 65 were exposed to heatwaves. It is not just the vulnerable that suffer though, heat impacts everyone as it can harm the body’s ability to regulate temperatures, which can lead to illness and health issues such as dehydration and heat stroke.
In response, spend on ‘coolth’ is rocketing worldwide. Rising temperatures, a growing middle class in developing economies and increasing urbanisation are driving strong global growth in residential AC: The total number of AC units worldwide is projected to double from 1.6 billion units in 2016 to approximately 3 billion in 2030.
In addition, the situation with COVID-19 means many parts of the world will be likely to spend more time indoors than usual this Spring and Summer. As a result, AC use is likely to grow even more.
The problem is that most AC consumes a lot of (often fossil-fuel) energy. Also, the more AC there is in use, the more hot air gets pumped out, further contributing to urban overheating.
Helping cut down energy use associated with AC (and heat pumps), while keeping a cool and healthy indoor climate, is the rationale behind smart thermostat technology, explains Christian Deilmann, CPO and Co-founder of tadoº:
“Staying cool is a basic human need. The warmer the summers get, the more we need a solution that keeps homes cool and healthy, while saving energy. With the Smart AC Control, tadoº contributes to a comfortable, and sustainable way of living for all generations.”
Founded in Munich, 2011, tado° is the European leader in intelligent home climate management. With 180 employees, the company has secured over $100M in funding. Its Smart Thermostats for heating and cooling, are marketed as a Climate Assistant, with features such as Geofencing, Weather Adaptation, Open Window Detection and Air Comfort.
The tadoº app also allows friends or relatives to help control the home climate remotely for people who may need assistance. They can view the current temperature and humidity levels, then cool things down accordingly. Moreover the Air Comfort feature helps to keep an eye on the air freshness at home and detects pollutants.
Further Reading:
- More on the tadoº Smart AC Control Climate Assistant.
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