Extreme Heat conference cancelled due to extreme heat warning • Hacker News Board

Re: Extreme Heat conference cancelled due to extreme heat warning

#101

Post by AstroNutt » Wed, Jun 24, 2026, 2:42 AM UTC

weightedreply wrote: post #21

shitloadofbooks wrote: post #6

"Extreme Heat" seems to be 37-40 degrees Celsius which is bafflingly mundane to me as an Australian who grew up in rural New South Wales. We'd pack 30 kids and a teacher into an un-airconditioned classroom with just a ceiling fan and the windows open in that temperature. I imagine the buildings there just aren't built to support that heat plus the body height of hundreds or thousands of attendees?

We need a humidity comparison to go with temperature. I grew up in a humid city and summers were unbearable. Now I live in a dry climate and 30°C is pretty comfortable.

Temperature Humidity Index. Or as they now call it for normies, "feels like temperature"

Re: Extreme Heat conference cancelled due to extreme heat warning

#102

Post by basisword » Wed, Jun 24, 2026, 2:42 AM UTC

lazide wrote: post #65

eisa01 wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That should actually help you also with AC: Keep the cold in, and reduce the electricity costs

For some reason they seem allergic to AC - see the rest of this thread.

COST. People don’t have the money to spend installing aircon to save themselves from a couple of weeks of discomfort per year.

Re: Extreme Heat conference cancelled due to extreme heat warning

#103

Post by pkaye » Wed, Jun 24, 2026, 2:43 AM UTC

delichon wrote: post #2

> Hosted in collaboration with the Zurich Climate Resilience Alliance. Their climate resilience seems low. > The event will finish with a fire side chat Is this a prank?

Maybe an "ice cream social" would be better.

Re: Extreme Heat conference cancelled due to extreme heat warning

#104

Post by lazide » Wed, Jun 24, 2026, 2:43 AM UTC

basisword wrote: post #102

lazide wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For some reason they seem allergic to AC - see the rest of this thread.

COST. People don’t have the money to spend installing aircon to save themselves from a couple of weeks of discomfort per year.

At the point there is a noticeable mortality spike, it’s not just a few weeks of discomfort eh?

Re: Extreme Heat conference cancelled due to extreme heat warning

#105

Post by basisword » Wed, Jun 24, 2026, 2:46 AM UTC

lazide wrote: post #104

basisword wrote: post #102

Earlier quoted context omitted.

COST. People don’t have the money to spend installing aircon to save themselves from a couple of weeks of discomfort per year.

At the point there is a noticeable mortality spike, it’s not just a few weeks of discomfort eh?

Still doesn’t solve the cost factor. If you don’t have the money you don’t have the money. And if you barely have the money you’re probably going to take the risk because the risk is still very low.

Re: Extreme Heat conference cancelled due to extreme heat warning

#106

Post by tomjakubowski » Wed, Jun 24, 2026, 2:47 AM UTC

Noaidi wrote: post #93

shitloadofbooks wrote: post #6

"Extreme Heat" seems to be 37-40 degrees Celsius which is bafflingly mundane to me as an Australian who grew up in rural New South Wales. We'd pack 30 kids and a teacher into an un-airconditioned classroom with just a ceiling fan and the windows open in that temperature. I imagine the buildings there just aren't built to support that heat plus the body height of hundreds or thousands of attendees?

I imagine people who lived in the UK for generations have genes that are adapted to a more mild, cooler climate. https://www.cell.com/trends/genetics/fulltext/S0168-9525(20)...

Much of the population of Australia are from those same groups.

Re: Extreme Heat conference cancelled due to extreme heat warning

#107

Post by contingencies » Wed, Jun 24, 2026, 2:48 AM UTC

nomilk wrote: post #42

shitloadofbooks wrote: post #6

"Extreme Heat" seems to be 37-40 degrees Celsius which is bafflingly mundane to me as an Australian who grew up in rural New South Wales. We'd pack 30 kids and a teacher into an un-airconditioned classroom with just a ceiling fan and the windows open in that temperature. I imagine the buildings there just aren't built to support that heat plus the body height of hundreds or thousands of attendees?

And that was after running around a semi-arid playground playing 'tips' or touch footy during recess and lunch!

No worries as they'd had their vegemite for brekkie providing all the salt they need to offset the constant sweat. None of this soft modern electrolyte bullshit, just beer dregs on toast.

Re: Extreme Heat conference cancelled due to extreme heat warning

#108

Post by sneak » Wed, Jun 24, 2026, 2:49 AM UTC

mc32 wrote: post #57

rcvassallo83 wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Efficient window unit? Best of the best is about 15-16 SEER That's entry level central HVAC efficiency Minisplits are far higher, 20+

If I don't have $30K to $50K to invest in an HVAC for the home, the next best is a relatively efficient Window unit that costs low hundreds and will help me stay alive in the heat. However enticing the price of a single duct portable unit is, do not buy it. It's a complete waste. If you go portable, go with the dual ducted one --but it's still not as good as a Window unit (which I would hope is obviously less efficie…

I’m extremely happy with my single duct unit for cooling my bedroom in Berlin for the 3-6 weeks a year it is required.

Re: Extreme Heat conference cancelled due to extreme heat warning

#109

Post by Filligree » Wed, Jun 24, 2026, 2:50 AM UTC

Ferret7446 wrote: post #56

gonzo41 wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think there's a bit of a definitional skew happening here. The data isn't that good around this stuff. Heat as the primary factor, vs heat related deaths is significant. Heat is a system stressor. There's plenty of people having heart attacks and dying from weight related issues that probably got pushed over the edge by a hot day in Nevada that are missed in official stats.

I can't imagine this is significant unless there is a demonstrated reporting bias between the US and Europe. Otherwise I'd assume it's a wash

There is. In Texas, if a field worker has a heart attack on a hot day it’ll be reported as a heart attack.

In France, the same exact situation would be reported as a heat casualty leading to heart attack.

Re: Extreme Heat conference cancelled due to extreme heat warning

#110

Post by lrae » Wed, Jun 24, 2026, 2:50 AM UTC

nemomarx wrote: post #87

lrae wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Probably because the UK - similar to most of Europe - does not use the US vertically sliding sash window type, does it? The typical "walmart window AC" does just not really exist in (most of) Europe, because the windows for it don't exist, afaik. Edit: Turns out, sash windows are more commonly found in the UK (compared to other European countries), but still not as common as in the US. So, UK = not as hot (so far), t…

Why are the windows different, actually? They don't seem to be smaller overall, just skinnier and taller? But you should still be able to get two tubes fitted into any kind of window with the right seals. If you were really up for renovations you could get closeable exhaust holes punched through your brick or something maybe.

Sash windows are just not as common. Seems like they are in the UK somewhat, though numbers I found vary, but overall in Europe they're pretty uncommon.

And yes, there are options for tubes/ducts for the more common window types. Like tilt-and-turn windows, horizontally sliding or all the other kinds of inward or outward opening windows - but most of them are the ducted portable units the original comment was speaking of, which aren't great. There are also some better portable split units, but those are pricier and the install is not as easy. (They're great though.)