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Telegraph
2 days ago
- Business
- Telegraph
Air-con is a fever dream in boiling Britain
How much is a good night's sleep worth? That's the question a growing number of Britons are pondering as they grapple with the sweltering heat. For many, the answer is the price of an air conditioner. Between 2011 and 2022, the number of households using the cooling devices leapt from 3pc to 20pc, according to a study published by researchers this year. Chris Michael, chief executive of Meaco, a British company that sells portable air conditioners, says the story is always the same: demand comes in dribs and drabs for most of the year, then suddenly the phone rings off the hook after a few days of scorching heat. 'If you go back to last year, where the temperature hardly went above 23C, no one was interested,' he says. 'Whereas this year, more or less by Friday, everything had sold out after two weeks. Once you get these sorts of 30C temperatures, it's like turning a tap on.' Since he founded Meaco in 2008, the company's sales have surged from hundreds of units to more than 30,000 per year. 'To put that into context, when we started, a company was seen as a big player if they had done 1,000,' Michael adds. As the country braces for even more heatwaves like the one seen this week, sales are likely to keep going up. Powering up In 2022, the mercury rose above 40C for the first time and the Met Office has warned such incidents will only become more frequent due to global heating. Without big changes, that means more heat deaths and more weeks of discomfort, experts warn. And with many families turning to air conditioners for relief, it also means more strain on Britain's creaking electricity grid during the summer months. The Government is right to be nervous about the impact that rising air conditioner use could have on the electricity system. According to one study, the devices are expected to increase power demand by 45pc by 2050. This is likely to be most concentrated in cities, where the 'heat island' effect caused by concrete surfaces, heat-absorbing materials and the density of buildings means temperatures are a degree or two higher than elsewhere. Worryingly, a government-backed piece of research published in 2021 pointed out that Britain's electricity system has traditionally been designed to meet peak demand during the winter months, with nuclear power stations typically having down-time for maintenance in the lower-demand summer months. But with summers getting hotter, the research warned that national peak demand from cooling during a heatwave could be twice as high as that of an average summer week – putting considerable pressure on the grid. 'Although the UK has not yet experienced blackouts due to peak energy demand related to cooling in the summer, such peaks have occurred and have led to coal-fired power stations being brought into service,' a report by MPs on the environmental audit committee warned last year. 'Passive' cooling The Government has responded by adopting policies designed to encourage use of 'passive' cooling measures in buildings. In London, Labour mayor Sir Sadiq Khan's local planning rules argue that 'passive ventilation should be prioritised' and that the increased use of air conditioning is 'not desirable as these have significant energy requirements and, under conventional operation, expel hot air, thereby adding to the urban heat island effect'. One particular headache the country has, as temperatures creep higher, is that most of our homes are not designed for the kind of cooling provided by most air conditioners. Air conditioners come in different types, from the portable kind sold by Meaco to the fixed affairs that can be fitted to windows or mounted on walls, the latter typically connected to an outside condenser unit. But while in other parts of the world, heating and cooling systems typically blow air into rooms, most British homes are instead fitted with central heating systems that pump water around through pipes and radiators. These can be repurposed for cooling down houses when the mercury creeps up in summer but this can cause condensation, says Richard Lowes, a heating expert at the University of Exeter. Instead, many homeowners get blower air conditioners installed, which typically do not require planning permission. Heat pump headache There are also air-to-air heat pumps that can provide cold air. But unlike air-to-water and ground-to-water heat pumps, these are not currently eligible for the Government's boiler upgrade scheme grants, worth £7,500 each. Officials are currently consulting on whether to change this. Historically, they have been reluctant to do so because of fears that it will result in taxpayer-funded grants paying for cooling systems that can theoretically function as heaters as well but are never used that way by owners. 'The worry is that the Government doesn't want to be subsidising air-con, which is an additional energy demand, if it isn't providing any sort of energy system value,' Lowes explains. 'If you fit a heat pump, you're reducing emissions, you're reducing demand, all of that sort of stuff. 'But the risk is that you just end up subsidising air-con systems that can, in theory, do heating and cooling but the household instead keeps their old gas or oil boiler and just uses the air conditioner for cooling.' However, it's futile to try to stop people adopting these technologies, according to Kathryn Porter, an independent energy consultant who has air conditioning installed in her home. 'If people are getting heat pumps, they'll be able to run them in cooling mode as well,' she adds. 'It might not be ideal, because it can cause condensation, but you can't stop them from doing it. And you can't stop people just installing air conditioning either if it doesn't require planning permission. 'I think it's also worth noting that if you're telling people that the weather is an apocalypse, then in the next breath saying, 'You can't have air conditioning', I mean, it's kind of nonsense, really, isn't it? 'You can't have it both ways. This is the difference between being able to sleep and not being able to sleep, when it's weather like this. 'But as soon as people realise they can do it, you are going to have much higher [electricity] demand during the summer. And I don't think we've really thought that through.' However, while Lowes agrees there's 'no barrier stopping you from getting it', he says it may be sensible for the Government to advocate passive cooling measures first, given that air-con units are expensive for households to run. 'The reason why governments are focusing on fabric first is because if they didn't, housebuilders would simply build buildings that were not very efficient and then throw in a very cheap air-con unit,' he adds. 'So you end up in a situation where you have a maybe a slightly cheaper house, but you have much higher bills because you need to keep it cool with electricity. Overall I don't think the Government is against air-con, but they are certainly passive about it.' While demand for air conditioning might be new, however, one thing remains constant each summer, says Meaco boss Michael. 'What we always see is people don't prepare,' he says. 'We've seen that in all the years we've been doing it. The sales always spike once the weather has come. 'Why do people wait? There's something going on there, but I don't quite understand it.'
Powys County Times
20-06-2025
- Lifestyle
- Powys County Times
How to stay cool and sleep better during a heatwave
The UK heatwave is here - and with it comes hot sticky days that turn into sweltering nights. While the return of warm weather is welcome for many, rising temperatures can quickly lead to discomfort, making it harder to focus, relax or sleep. While the sun is great while you want to have fun - it can be hard when you're hoping to work, or sleep - and keeping your home cool can be tricky. Chris Michael, chair of air treatment specialists Meaco - they do more than just dehumidifiers - shares his favourite ways to stay cool. Five ways to stay cool and get a restful night's sleep this summer 1. Use a cold water bottle Fill your hot water bottle with water and freeze it before bedtime. This makes a simple and effective ice pack to keep you cool overnight without adding to your energy bill. 2. Close blinds and curtains Direct sunlight through windows quickly heats up your home. Keep blinds, curtains and windows closed during the hottest part of the day, especially those facing south. Once the temperature drops in the evening, open them to let cooler air in. 3. Take warm showers Although it seems counterintuitive, a warm shower before bed helps the body regulate its temperature more effectively. Cold showers can trigger the body to generate heat, whereas a warm shower encourages the body to cool down naturally. 4. Buy a fan (ideally before the rush) As soon as warm weather is forecast, fans start to sell out quickly. Buying a high-quality air circulating fan in advance ensures you're ready. Look for reputable brands with strong reviews and clever features like ECO mode to save energy. For bedroom use, choose a quiet fan. Loud fans can disturb sleep, so consider models that are Quiet Mark accredited and include Night Mode for uninterrupted rest. Low energy consumption is also key, especially if you plan to run the fan all night. 5. Check windows and doors Gaps around windows and doors can let in heat during summer just as they let out heat in winter. Sealing these gaps is a quick, cost-effective way to keep your indoor space cooler with less effort. How a MeacoFan can help you keep your home cool this summer With Quiet Mark accreditation, Meaco fans are ideal for bedrooms, children's rooms and home offices, as they include timers, temperature sensors, night modes, and intuitive controls to help you stay focused, relaxed, and well-rested. Meaco has expanded its quietest and most energy-efficient fan line with the new MeacoFan Sefte® 8' Portable Battery Powered Air Circulator. It offers mains or battery operation, making it ideal for use at home, while travelling, or outdoors. The replaceable battery extends the fan's life far beyond that of typical sealed battery models, aligning with upcoming EU regulations and reducing waste. The 8-inch model joins the Sefte 10' Table and 10' Pedestal Air Circulators, recently named Best in Category by Which? for their outstanding performance, quiet operation and build quality. Recommended reading How a fan can help you sleep in a heatwave With better sleep being the number one reason people buy a fan, it's worth investing in one that's quieter, more energy-efficient, and ideally features a dedicated night mode. Meaco has a glow-in-the-dark remote control to make it easier to adjust settings without turning on a light.
New York Post
11-06-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
There's nothing ‘spontaneous' about radical ICE protests — here are the groups behind them
The same media who told you in 2020 that the violent Black Lives Matter riots were 'fiery, but mostly peaceful' are at it again, pretending that your eyes are lying to you: No, they claim, there are no rampaging throngs or marauders waving foreign flags and attacking the forces of order. And the peaceful protests in Los Angeles are spontaneous. Nobody is organizing them. Advertisement Or so pretends the media. 'The Trump administration's immigration raids in the California city prompted mostly peaceful protests,' blared the leftwing British paper The Guardian. Of course, these supposedly perfectly serene public gatherings then 'escalated when the president sent in the National Guard — and then the US Marines,' added the Guardian. So, no, the scenes of mayhem and invasion that played on TV for days before the first National Guard unit arrived in the City of Angels didn't prompt Trump to act — don't believe your lying eyes. Advertisement It's like Guardian writer Chris Michael has no idea of the mockery that CNN correspondent Omar Jimenez has succumbed to since August 2020, when he went on air in front of a building engulfed in flames and complete chaos behind him, and a chyron with the 'mostly peaceful' claim. One other key thing that the left-wing media is not telling you is who is organizing the disorder, and who is funding it. Ignoring this aspect leads the public to believe two things that aren't true: that the violence is spontaneous, and that it reflects true national discontent with the deportation raids. Advertisement In fact, the opposite is true. A Polling Insights newsletter that the pollster Scott Rasmussen sends out reports that, 'In the current stand-off, 57% approve of efforts by immigration officials to find and arrest illegal immigrants in Los Angeles. Fifty-two percent approve of President Trump's decision to send in the National Guard.' Other opinon surveys support this trend. So, if the American people largely support the deportation raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), who is organizing the riots against them? Advertisement We can see, from the placards and signs captured in photographs, that one key group organizing the protests comes from what one can call the list of usual suspects: the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL). The PSL, a communist party, has been involved with BLM and pro-Hamas terrorism violence. The PSL has organizational ties with the ANSWER Coalition, which the Network Contagion Research Institute says has ties with the Chinese Communist Party. ANSWER was involved with organizing a rally in sympathy with the Los Angeles rioters on June 10 in Columbus, Ohio. The PSL is an old-style communist party that will seize on any crises to try to dismantle the United States. It says that 'the United States today is a dictatorship of the capitalist class. This reality will not change without a socialist revolution.' It is funded indirectly by donations from Neville Roy Singham, an American millionaire with close ties to the CCP who lives in Shanghai. Advertisement Elias Rodriguez, the terrorist who shot and killed the couple at the Jewish Museum in Washington, DC, in late May, was a member of both the PSL and ANSWER. Another group involved in organizing the LA riots is the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), a radical leftist American union with extensive overseas ties. It is a regular attendee at the conferences and workshops held by the Foro de Sao Paulo, a hemispheric network of Marxist parties founded by Cuban dictator Fidel Castro and Brazilian President Inazio Lula da Silva. Advertisement The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights LA (CHIRLA), also an organizer, received $33 million in government grants in FY2023. Then there are the 'charities' helping the rioters, such as Mutual Aid Los Angeles Network, Operation Healthy Hearts, LA Poverty Department, and Mutual Aid/Social Therapy. These riots are sure to expand in the days to come, which means that it is a good thing that some congressmen are looking to investigate who these groups are, and why they are seeking to destabilize our streets. Mike Gonzalez is a senior fellow at The Heritage Foundation and co-author of 'NextGen Marxism: What It Is and How to Combat It.'
