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EU Commission Cuts AC on Lower Floors Amid Heatwave

6/27/2026

Summary

Commission Cuts AC

The European Commission shut off air-conditioning on floors 1-7 of the Berlaymont building on 26 June 2026 to cut electricity use during a record heatwave.
About 3,000 lower-level staff lost cooling while President Ursula von der Leyen on the 13th floor and the 26 commissioners on floors 8 and above kept their AC on.
The Commission introduced flexible working hours and adjusted procedures to protect staff safety while conserving power.

Summary

EU Penalizes AC

EU Energy Performance Certificates penalize owners who install conventional air-conditioning, lowering building ratings and adding planning, noise and heritage restrictions for external units.
Europe recorded over 61,000 heat-related deaths in 2022 despite fewer hot days than Africa or Southeast Asia.
Only about 20% of European homes have air-conditioning versus roughly 90% in the United States and Japan, which the European Environment Agency warned may leave vulnerable groups exposed.

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Commission Cuts AC

The European Commission shut off air-conditioning on floors 1-7 of the Berlaymont building on 26 June 2026 to cut electricity use during a record heatwave.
About 3,000 lower-level staff lost cooling while President Ursula von der Leyen on the 13th floor and the 26 commissioners on floors 8 and above kept their AC on.
The Commission introduced flexible working hours and adjusted procedures to protect staff safety while conserving power.

1 / 2