Heatwave: a majority of homes can be adapted by limiting air conditioning, according to a collective

One year after its creation, the collective, which brings together social landlords, local authorities, developers and planners, unveiled an "operational doctrine" to adapt housing to global warming, notably through passive solutions.

He believes that the public debate too often remains trapped in an opposition between supporters and opponents of air conditioning, and proposes to identify "the places where air conditioning can be avoided, where it becomes necessary, and how to limit its use".

"The question is no longer simply whether or not to air-condition, but whether a building is capable of removing the heat it accumulates in order to find conditions at night that are compatible with rest and recovery," the group observed in a statement.

A map of "climate severity" of France establishes three distinct zones based on nighttime temperature readings during heat waves, with the band from Marseille to Perpignan and Paris corresponding to the places where summer living is most difficult.

Dwellings located in zones 1 and 2 "become habitable" by generalizing the installation of blackout curtains, ceiling fans and roof insulation.

Based on simulations by the Scientific and Technical Centre for Building (CSTB) on approximately 30 million homes, the authors estimate that nearly 70% of the situations studied by 2050 could maintain satisfactory living conditions without systematic recourse to air conditioning.

In Paris, where 75% of homes are thermal kettles, the recommended actions would allow us to move "into zone 2", meaning to greatly improve summer comfort.

When air conditioning proves necessary, as in the south of France, it must be deployed "in a targeted and controlled manner," according to the group, which aims to "avoid an uncontrolled generalization of air conditioning while guaranteeing the protection of occupants when it becomes essential."

Illustrative image of the article via Depositphotos.com.