Air Conditioning: The Secret Weapon to Boost Productivity

For years, Europe has seen air conditioning as an unnecessary luxury or even a threat. But in a world that keeps getting hotter, it’s time to change the narrative. AC doesn’t just keep us cool. It makes us smarter, safer… and more productive.

Singapore figured it out in 1959

When Lee Kuan Yew came to power, one of his first decisions was to install air conditioning in government offices. He called it “one of the signal inventions of history” — and a major factor in making Singapore’s civil service efficient. He might’ve been right.

Above 23°C, everything goes downhill

Science is clear: as soon as temperatures rise above 23°C, our performance drops. We sleep worse. Our brain slows down. Students do worse in tests. Office workers become less efficient. And once we hit 30°C? Mortality spikes. The problem isn’t just the heat — it’s hot indoor spaces.

Indoor cooling is what really matters

The key word here is indoor. We can’t control the weather, but we can control what happens inside homes, offices, and schools. Passive cooling helps — but when it gets truly hot, only air conditioning makes a real difference.

Europe is lagging behind (and it’s deadly)

Between 2000 and 2019, 83,000 people died each year from extreme heat in western Europe. In North America? 20,000. Why? Americans have AC. Europeans don’t. In Portland, 80% of households are air conditioned. In London, almost none. The result? Suffering and death.

But what about emissions?

The old “AC pollutes” argument is losing ground. Solar power is booming — just as cooling demand rises. Most of the extra electricity needed for air conditioning will be clean. And with modern heat pumps, we can cool and heat without burning gas.

Time to rethink the rules

Instead of promoting cooling, many countries still make it harder. In the UK and France, AC is discouraged. Some say it increases inequality. But that’s false: the rich already protect themselves. It’s the vulnerable who suffer most — unless governments step in.

The climate has changed. Our mindset must change too

It once made sense to avoid air conditioning in Europe. Not anymore. It’s time to stop pretending heat isn’t a problem. AC isn’t a luxury. It’s a tool for survival, equity… and productivity.