There aren't many air conditioners in Italy.
One of the most surprising things for people who have traveled to Italy is, "Why are there so many houses without airconditioning?" It feels even more puzzling, especially if you're used to an environment where air conditioning is essential in the summer, like in Korea. Climate, architecture, culture, and economic factors all play a role here.
1. The interior is cool thanks to the traditional stone building.
Most of Italy's old cities are stone buildings built hundreds of years ago.
The wall thickness often ranges from 50cm to 1m, making it difficult for the hot heat from the outside to easily transfer indoors. Also, high ceilings and small window structures help keep indoor temperatures relatively low in the summer.
The lifestyle of closing windows and shutters during the day to block sunlight, and opening the windows at night to let in cool air has been practiced for a long time.
2. Summers are shorter and nighttime temperatures are lower than in Korea.
Italy has significant regional differences, but most regions do not experience tropical nights as long as Korea does. In the northern and central regions, temperatures often rise to around 35°C during the day, but drop to around 20°C at night. Therefore, just by ventilating well at night, you can maintain a relatively pleasant indoor environment until the next morning. However, recently, due to the effects of climate change, heat waves and tropical nights have increased, leading to a growing trend of air conditioner installations.
3. Historical buildings are not easy to install
In historic areas like Florence Historic District, Rome Historic District, Venice and Lagoons, the installation of air conditioner outdoor units is sometimes restricted or requires permits to protect the exterior of buildings. It is often difficult to change the exterior of buildings designated as cultural properties, making it challenging to install air conditioners.
4. Electricity Bills and Energy Saving Culture
Italy has relatively high electricity rates and a strong awareness of energy conservation.
Many households endure the heat by using a fan, ventilating in the morning and night, and going out during the day. The culture that prefers natural ventilation over "continuously running the air conditioner" still remains. In particular, air conditioning installation is rare in most homes except for hotels due to the very high electricity costs, as they refrain from building nuclear power plants and purchase most of their electricity from other countries.
5. Recently, the supply of air conditioners has been rapidly increasing.
In the past, homes without air conditioning were common, but the situation has changed a lot recently. Most newly built apartments are equipped with air conditioning. As the summer heatwave intensifies, the installation of existing homes is gradually increasing. In particular, the adoption rate of air conditioners has increased significantly in southern Italy and major cities. Most hotels or newly built accommodations used by travelers are equipped with air conditioning.
6. Points to check when traveling
"Air Conditioning (Aria Condizionata)" when booking accommodation. It is advisable to always check the markings. This is because accommodations that have been renovated from old buildings, small hotels in historic districts, and B&B may lack air conditioning or have limited cooling performance.
7. Conclusion
The reason there were few air conditioners in Italian homes is a result of the combination of the structure of thick stone buildings, relatively cool nighttime temperatures, preservation regulations for historical buildings, high electricity rates, and a lifestyle that favors natural ventilation. However, in recent years, due to the increase in heatwaves caused by climate change, air conditioners have been rapidly becoming widespread, so the phrase "there is no air conditioner in Italian homes" should be used appropriately, as in the past.
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