Air conditioning in the UK?
 

Been hearing of the unusually hot weather in britain, and mainland
Europe lately (southern Germany 102 F!), and of course thought,
Oh dear, and they don't have air conditioning!
But, is this altogether true? Is it known what proportion of
domestic and commercial buildings now have air conditioning in Britain, and/or
Europe generally, I wonder?

Here in north texas, it's been flickering around 98 - 102 F, fairly
normal for July, and a distinct lack of rainfall. Air conditioning
units and lawn sprinklers all going like crazy!
--
Ian Ft Worth, TX, USA
(e-mail Replies must include the word daemonics in Subject line)

Air conditioning in the UK?
 

On Mon, 04 Aug 2003 08:58:22 +0100, rnet[dot]co[dot]uk
(Simon Gardner) wrote:

Here in north texas, it's been flickering around 98 - 102 F

Could you translate that, please?

What's to translate? He means that the temperature is hovering around
98 to 102 degress Fahrenheit. Or would you prefer it in Celcius?

Air conditioning in the UK?
 

Could you translate that, please?




.......... I think the hot weather brings the pedants out! Usenet nanny
syndrome I think..... offer him 100,000 guineas for his house, bet he
wouldn't ask for that in £ before he accepted...

To answer your question qualitivly.......

No, air con is not the norm in the UK. Some of the larger shops use it.
and a few of the corporate buildings. More prevalent in the commercial
sector. But my partner works for the local council here in Folkestone, Kent
and the original open plan building with good airflow has been divided up
into little rooms and departments. The heat is stifling in there.... hot
enough to lose staff. (One girl stayed 2 days and left 'cos of the heat)
They have no air con whatsoever. Open a window, loosen your tie... use a
desk fan......but air con? No chance......
As for private homes, it's very very scarce. Central heating not standard
yet even.... Air con is considered a plaything of the rich, there is no
advertising for it on TV, I've seen none in newspapers.... I've seen a few
portable ones in the last insurance office I worked in but I had to explain
about legionaries disease as they were just recycling the same old water
condensed out of the room with no anti bacterial additives or cleaning
regime at all.... 200 people on the phones in one room with two paltry
little virus spreaders... scary stuff!

it's still the 1950's in most of Britain.....

Les



"P" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 04 Aug 2003 08:58:22 +0100, rnet[dot]co[dot]uk
(Simon Gardner) wrote:

Here in north texas, it's been flickering around 98 - 102 F
What's to translate? He means that the temperature is hovering around
98 to 102 degress Fahrenheit. Or would you prefer it in Celcius?

Air conditioning in the UK?
 

On Mon, 4 Aug 2003 09:51:19 +0100, "Les & Claire"
wrote:


it's still the 1950's in most of Britain.....

More like the 1850's. ;)

Air conditioning in the UK?
 

"Ian" wrote in message
...

Been hearing of the unusually hot weather in britain, and mainland
Europe lately (southern Germany 102 F!), and of course thought,
Oh dear, and they don't have air conditioning!
But, is this altogether true? Is it known what proportion of
domestic and commercial buildings now have air conditioning in Britain,
and/or
Europe generally, I wonder?

Well the so called portable aircon systems seems the most popular for
domestic use, the D-I-Y sheds are churing them out at resonable prices and
they are probably a good buy for the 2 weeks of hot weather we get. I have
one myself and it does a good job cooling and will no doubt be made use of
today.

Lots of commercial / office buildings have had aircon compressor units
bolted to the outside walls recently so I would imagine its a growing
industry, but the vast majority of workplaces in the UK are not
air-conditioned and the term sweatshop will apply over the next few days if
it didn't already.

BTW I was amazed at the price of window aircon units while browsing online
at www.homedepot.com something like $85 for a basic one. The cheapest
equivelent price in the UK was about £400.

Regards

Air conditioning in the UK?
 

"Les & Claire" wrote in message
...

Could you translate that, please?




......... I think the hot weather brings the pedants out! Usenet nanny
syndrome I think..... offer him 100,000 guineas for his house, bet he
wouldn't ask for that in £ before he accepted...

To answer your question qualitivly.......

No, air con is not the norm in the UK. Some of the larger shops use it.
and a few of the corporate buildings. More prevalent in the commercial
sector. But my partner works for the local council here in Folkestone,
Kent
and the original open plan building with good airflow has been divided up
into little rooms and departments. The heat is stifling in there.... hot
enough to lose staff. (One girl stayed 2 days and left 'cos of the heat)
They have no air con whatsoever. Open a window, loosen your tie... use a
desk fan......but air con? No chance......
As for private homes, it's very very scarce. Central heating not
standard
yet even.... Air con is considered a plaything of the rich, there is no
advertising for it on TV, I've seen none in newspapers.... I've seen a
few
portable ones in the last insurance office I worked in but I had to
explain
about legionaries disease as they were just recycling the same old water
condensed out of the room with no anti bacterial additives or cleaning
regime at all.... 200 people on the phones in one room with two paltry
little virus spreaders... scary stuff!

it's still the 1950's in most of Britain.....

Les



"P" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 04 Aug 2003 08:58:22 +0100, rnet[dot]co[dot]uk
(Simon Gardner) wrote:

Here in north texas, it's been flickering around 98 - 102 F
What's to translate? He means that the temperature is hovering around
98 to 102 degress Fahrenheit. Or would you prefer it in Celcius?



Les,

I noticed advertising for it on the boards at the cricket yesterday - don't
recall the name of the company. I doubt if they do much business though -
apart from installations in offices.

Cheers,


Andy

Air conditioning in the UK?
 

"Les & Claire" wrote in message
...

Could you translate that, please?




......... I think the hot weather brings the pedants out! Usenet nanny
syndrome I think..... offer him 100,000 guineas for his house, bet he
wouldn't ask for that in £ before he accepted...

To answer your question qualitivly.......

No, air con is not the norm in the UK. Some of the larger shops use it.
and a few of the corporate buildings. More prevalent in the commercial
sector. But my partner works for the local council here in Folkestone,
Kent
and the original open plan building with good airflow has been divided up
into little rooms and departments. The heat is stifling in there.... hot
enough to lose staff. (One girl stayed 2 days and left 'cos of the heat)
They have no air con whatsoever. Open a window, loosen your tie... use a
desk fan......but air con? No chance......
As for private homes, it's very very scarce. Central heating not
standard
yet even.... Air con is considered a plaything of the rich, there is no
advertising for it on TV, I've seen none in newspapers.... I've seen a
few
portable ones in the last insurance office I worked in but I had to
explain
about legionaries disease as they were just recycling the same old water
condensed out of the room with no anti bacterial additives or cleaning
regime at all.... 200 people on the phones in one room with two paltry
little virus spreaders... scary stuff!

it's still the 1950's in most of Britain.....

Les



"P" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 04 Aug 2003 08:58:22 +0100, rnet[dot]co[dot]uk
(Simon Gardner) wrote:

Here in north texas, it's been flickering around 98 - 102 F
What's to translate? He means that the temperature is hovering around
98 to 102 degress Fahrenheit. Or would you prefer it in Celcius?



" it's still the 1950's in most of Britain....."

1850's more like!

Air conditioning in the UK?
 

"Les & Claire" wrote .. I've seen a few
portable ones in the last insurance office I worked in but I had to
explain
about legionaries disease as they were just recycling the same old water
condensed out of the room with no anti bacterial additives or cleaning
regime at all.... 200 people on the phones in one room with two paltry
little virus spreaders... scary stuff!

Added to which these things try to defy the laws of physics in that, being a
closed system, they can't possibly do what they're being advertised to do .

I've had a few arguments with people who've used these that *unless* there
is a vent to take the hot exhaust air outside, the machines just add to the
overall temperature in the room that they're supposedly keeping cool. Most
of the "portable" (freestanding) units don't have this: they blow cool air
out of the front (giving the illusion of cooling the room) - and hot air
(i.e. the heat taken from the air + the heat caused by the machine
operating) out of the back, thus adding to the overall heat in the room.

- Tom.

Air conditioning in the UK?
 

mopping his noble brow, wrote:

On Mon, 04 Aug 2003 08:58:22 +0100, rnet[dot]co[dot]uk
(Simon Gardner) wrote:

Here in north texas, it's been flickering around 98 - 102 F

Could you translate that, please?

What's to translate? He means that the temperature is hovering around
98 to 102 degress Fahrenheit. Or would you prefer it in Celcius?

Well .... I'm bending over backwards here so as to see things from
all angles, the .sci. in this group's name is short for "science".
So only precise and clear language should be used, and sloppy
syntax or colloquial carelessness must be frowned upon.

Now, would someone help me up on my feet, please. Seem to have bent
over backwards a few degrees too far.
--
Ian
"A pedant is a man who knows the cost of every consonant and the
value of every verb". Oscar Milde.
(do not Reply by email: sum1else wrote this)

Air conditioning in the UK?
 

clearly baffled, rnet[dot]co[dot]uk asked:

(Ian) wrote:

Here in north texas, it's been flickering around 98 - 102 F

Could you translate that, please?

Only too delighted, young sir ....
I can oblige you in German or French. What the hell , have two for
the price of one.

Ein. Allgemein am der Nordunger schw itz Kow der Tempelhof
berunder 98 - 102 Flugenschwimmen h overbkrtband.

deux. Vilette de la Nurd en Trembleau , Beronrmalon twiquotique
unbariable 98 et 102 Boche merde ma is, aux bois du pent, birilonde toupee.

HTH
--
Ian
"he speaks German like a native: a native of Tunisia." Oscar Milde.
(do not Reply by email: sum1else wrote this)