Greener Living
Germans Are Finally Embracing Air Conditioning, Even Renters
Tenants face limited options in adapting to the new climate reality.
Residents of a prefabricated building use parasols to protect their homes from the heat in Jena, Germany in July.
Photographer: Martin Schutt/picture alliance/Getty Images
A stroll down German streets usually reveals plenty of postwar architecture, stucco walls and increasingly, air conditioners sitting on balconies or hanging out of windows.
Most homes in Germany – and in northwest Europe — don’t have AC and haven’t really needed it until heat waves became more frequent in recent years. Now that summer temperatures are scorching, many are finding the most manageable way to cool down is with a portable unit.