“I call this a tropical greenhouse.” With this one phrase, an official described the situation at an elementary school in Soustons in southwestern France. At first it sounded exaggerated, but it was shockingly accurate. At the Isle-Verte school in the Landes region, temperatures exceeding 50 degrees were measured under a large glass cover. As a result, the school was closed on Thursday and Friday for two days.
Several children complained of exhaustion, some felt unwell, and there were even children who vomited. It is hard to imagine having classes under such conditions. The school was built in the 1980s, and some still use simple glass windows, with about 350 students attending. Architectural elements that once symbolized light and openness have now turned into a real heat trap.
The incident in Soustons is more than just a local news story from southwestern France. It symbolizes a phenomenon spreading nationwide. France is currently experiencing an unusually fast and intense heatwave. Meteorologists regard this as a historic weather event occurring in May. At the end of May, temperatures were recorded that recalled midsummer rather than spring. In the Angoulême-La Couronne region, the temperature rose to 37.8 degrees, setting a new May record.
This has brought a question that had long been discussed only theoretically to the forefront. Are public buildings in France truly prepared for future climates?
Many schools were built in times when extreme heatwaves were rare. Large windows were considered modern, and complex shading devices were seen as unnecessary. But now the side effects of this architectural approach are becoming clear. When sunlight shines uninterrupted on glass surfaces for several consecutive days, classrooms and courtyards become spaces that store heat.
Municipalities choose realistic short-term solutions. They keep windows open at night, run fans at full speed, and try to cool down somewhat by using misters, but these measures are only temporary fixes for a growing problem.
The real challenge lies in architectural adjustments. Creating more shade with trees and shading fabrics, improving insulation, providing natural ventilation, greening the school courtyards, and reducing impermeable surfaces are identified as key factors. All of this is costly. Especially small municipalities face the difficult task of adjusting infrastructure to climate change alongside other investment plans.
The case of Suston School appears as a warning signal. Children are a group particularly sensitive to heatwaves. When classroom temperatures become more like a greenhouse than a learning space, the issue is not convenience but health and safety.
What happens today in the Landes region can become everyday life tomorrow in many regions. French schools are evolving involuntarily into an early warning system for climate adaptation. The key issue is no longer whether public buildings have to respond to frequent heat waves, but how quickly they can respond.
Andreas M. B.