Growing Number of Air Conditioners in France Strains Power Grid and Environment

Paris – 03 August 2026: Air conditioners are spreading ever more rapidly in French homes as more frequent heatwaves make daily life difficult in poorly protected buildings. According to the environmental agency ADEME, around 24 percent of households had an air-conditioning system in 2025. Two years earlier, the figure was 18 percent. Depending on the survey, the current share is between 18 and 26 percent. This means that approximately one in four homes is now air-conditioned.

Cooling still accounts for only around one percent of private households’ final energy consumption. This is also because many systems are switched on only on particularly hot days: according to ADEME, 61 percent of households with air conditioning use it exclusively during such heat peaks. However, as the number of units grows, electricity demand is likely to increase precisely when high temperatures are already placing strain on the energy system.

In addition to electricity consumption, the environmental impact also includes the technology used in the systems. Air conditioners contain refrigerants that can escape through leaks or improper disposal and have a severe impact on the climate. Outdoor units also release heat into their surroundings. In densely built-up neighborhoods, this can further intensify high outdoor temperatures and increase the cooling needs of neighboring buildings.

ADEME therefore recommends first limiting heat gain in homes through passive measures. Exterior shutters, blinds or shade sails block solar radiation more effectively than devices installed behind window panes. Windows should remain closed during the hot daytime hours. If the outside air is cooler in the evening or at night, cross-ventilation can remove heat stored in walls, floors and ceilings.

The design of buildings also determines how quickly indoor spaces heat up. Good insulation, especially on roofs and exterior walls, reduces overheating. Trees and green spaces improve the microclimate around buildings. An ADEME study identifies sun protection, natural nighttime ventilation, the desired room temperature and the length of the cooling period as key factors affecting energy demand.

Where air conditioning is necessary for health or structural reasons, the agency advises sizing systems according to actual needs. Mobile monobloc units are considered inefficient because a window or door usually has to remain open for the exhaust hose. This allows warm air to flow inside.

Settings also have a major influence: according to ADEME calculations, raising the target temperature from 23 to 26 degrees reduces an air conditioner’s electricity consumption to around one-third. Structural heat protection and moderate cooling can therefore significantly limit summer energy demand.