Lost sleep, low motivation, irritability — if you endured the record-breaking May heatwave that swept across northern Europe, you know the feeling. Homes in countries like the UK, Germany, and the Netherlands are designed to trap heat, not release it. When temperatures soared above 30°C in some places — more than 10°C above the May average — many apartments turned into ovens.
The UK’s Climate Change Committee recently recommended installing air conditioning in all care homes and hospitals within a decade, and in all schools within 25 years. But for most healthy people, alternatives are more than sufficient. Air conditioning is expensive — installation in an average UK home costs around £2,500 (€2,895) per room — and environmentally costly. Air conditioners and fans consume 10% of global electricity and leak potent greenhouse gases. On the hottest days in parts of the US and the Middle East, 70% of peak residential electricity demand goes to cooling.
Spain has built a network of climate shelters — free public spaces like libraries and museums where anyone can cool off, sit down, and drink water. But as the rest of Europe scrambles to organise such spaces, it’s worth learning from regions that have lived with extreme heat for generations.
Lessons from Sicily: Living with Heat
When I moved from the UK to Sicily six years ago — one of the closest European points to Africa — I was surprised how few homes have air conditioning. That changed once I understood the basic principles of keeping a home cool. While my British friends and family obsessed over the heatwave, locals rarely mention it. Heat is a fact of life, managed through methods passed down over centuries.
Surviving the heat is baked into daily life — from how houses are built to how work schedules are arranged. Despite Sicily’s long history of heat, climate change is making heatwaves more frequent, extreme, and longer-lasting. Quitting fossil fuels remains the most effective long-term solution, and citizens must continue lobbying governments to stop fossil fuel subsidies. But in the short term, a bit of forward planning can make the next heatwave much easier to handle.
Keep Windows Closed and Covered
It may seem counterintuitive, but keeping windows closed during the day — provided they are covered — is essential. My Sicilian cleaner, in her mid-50s, would close all the curtains before leaving my house. Now I understand why. Curtains, blinds, or makeshift coverings make a huge difference. Cheap options include wallpaper liner taped to windows, large bed sheets trapped in the frame, or bamboo garden screens. Light-coloured fabrics reflect more heat. For permanent solutions, install awnings or shutters.
Damp Clothes and Sheets
Writer and editor Sally Moss, who spends hot days at a desk, recommends making a top wet, wringing it out, and wearing it while working. As the water evaporates, it cools the skin. She says this keeps her “properly cool for hours, no fan needed” and “seriously improves” her quality of life. A damp hat, bandana, or cloth around the neck works too. You can also hang a damp sheet in a doorway — as air passes through, it cools the room.
The Siesta: Sensible, Not Lazy
Spaniards are known for their post-lunch nap, but it’s far from lazy. In many hot countries, everything stops in the early afternoon — shops close, and adults join children in resting somewhere cool. Sicilians take this pause seriously. While it can be frustrating for errands, it works. Locals emerge around 4pm for a “second shift,” often working until 7 or 8pm. Working after sunset makes far more sense than struggling with a sluggish brain in the midday heat.
As Europe faces more intense heatwaves — Spain Braces for Intense Heatwave as Temperatures Near 40°C — these traditional methods offer affordable, climate-friendly alternatives. They remind us that surviving heat doesn’t require expensive technology, just smart habits and a willingness to adapt.
