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

Re: Extreme Heat conference cancelled due to extreme heat warning

#411

Post by europoorean » Wed, Jun 24, 2026, 11:31 AM UTC

wiseowise wrote: post #125

antonvs wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Arrogance isn't going to hold against the sun. You mean against human-induced global warming.

Keep dying from the heat while the oligarchs live their lives in villas near expensive lakes.

The wealthiest Americans have a life expectancy similar to that of the poorest Europeans in western European countries

https://www.brown.edu/news/2025-04-02/wealth-mortality-gap

Heat related deaths affect the oldest more than the young. The old Europeans dying during a heatwave do so because they are alive. The old Americans that would have died in a heatwave were already dead.

I hope the USA can fix its healthcare system.

Re: Extreme Heat conference cancelled due to extreme heat warning

#412

Post by Klayy » Wed, Jun 24, 2026, 11:36 AM UTC

ericd wrote: post #338

Klayy wrote: post #151

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's not the only thing required to properly install an ac unit. Do you genuinely believe people die rather that drill a hole? Lile that's the blocker? What a weird take

I’ve installed them myself, there’s not a whole lot more to it. Even easier if you have double hung windows to mount one on, though my understanding is that they’re not that common in Europe.

Not a whole lot more? Mounting a 40kg external unit on the facade of a building on the 5th floor is nothing to you? And that's after you get a permit to install it on the facade, which you will likely not (depending on the country).

If you have a balcony, you can mount the external unit there, but then you need to route the piping to the room(s) that need AC. Then you need to cover the pipes somehow, which is still perfectly doable, but goes way way beyond "drilling a hole".

You can have a portable unit, but it's loud, takes up space indoors and needs to be stored somewhere most of the year when it's actually cold rather than super hot.

Re: Extreme Heat conference cancelled due to extreme heat warning

#413

Post by Klayy » Wed, Jun 24, 2026, 11:46 AM UTC

asdff wrote: post #334

Klayy wrote: post #161

Earlier quoted context omitted.

and regulatory hurdles in many locations, you can't really install AC in many buildings because there's nowhere to put the external unit

You don't need an external unit. Window AC (including casement sized) exists as well as portable AC.

Portable AC exists and people do use it, but it's loud and awkward with casement windows. This is a bandaid solution at best. Yet, I've seen them sold out in the summer, so people do use them.

Re: Extreme Heat conference cancelled due to extreme heat warning

#414

Post by mr_mitm » Wed, Jun 24, 2026, 11:46 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.

It's not just cost. Many people in Germany claim they get sick or experience neck pain the instant they stand under an AC. I cannot relate at all and I'm very puzzled, but at the same time I don't want to deny their experience.

Re: Extreme Heat conference cancelled due to extreme heat warning

#415

Post by dzhiurgis » Wed, Jun 24, 2026, 12:04 PM UTC

mr_mitm wrote: post #414

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.

It's not just cost. Many people in Germany claim they get sick or experience neck pain the instant they stand under an AC. I cannot relate at all and I'm very puzzled, but at the same time I don't want to deny their experience.

I'm Lithuanian and that's my pet peeve when making fun of my culture. I think it comes from homeopathy BS that has roots in Germany.

Funny enough Germans appreciate good ventilation, but here we have following: wind outside - ok, same wind inside (draft) - you killing me. Always wear slippers inside, protect your feet and neck from coldness. Avoid AC at all costs, especially bad if it blows right into your face. Also no fans right into your face or body. Wet hair - do not under any circumstances go outside. Even the most respected people I know fall into this trap.

Possibly some confusion comes from rhinorrhea - people mix up these symptoms with actual disease. And most ironically lack of appropriate ventilation increases spread of respiratory infections.

Last decade+ we had a bit of a HRV fad, wonder if that is reflected in some stats. Anecdotally I heard people shut these off to save power and open window instead...

Re: Extreme Heat conference cancelled due to extreme heat warning

#416

Post by dzhiurgis » Wed, Jun 24, 2026, 12:05 PM UTC

asdff wrote: post #334

Klayy wrote: post #161

Earlier quoted context omitted.

and regulatory hurdles in many locations, you can't really install AC in many buildings because there's nowhere to put the external unit

You don't need an external unit. Window AC (including casement sized) exists as well as portable AC.

Most European windows open sideways. Scientists are stumped with not solution.

Re: Extreme Heat conference cancelled due to extreme heat warning

#417

Post by subscribed » Wed, Jun 24, 2026, 12:08 PM UTC

thayne wrote: post #197

chmod775 wrote: post #100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This effect is temporary. Otherwise one could run their AC once for a few minutes and then it'd be cold inside your home for the rest of the year until you turn up heating. In reality equilibrium is restored quickly (and the thermal mass we're cooling/heating here is insignificant anyhow).

The process of moving heat from your house outside also creates excess heat, because no AC system is completely efficient (and it can't be because of the second law of thermodynamics).

Heat pumps have efficiency 300-400% at the moment, meaning they pump out MUCH more than they generate .

Re: Extreme Heat conference cancelled due to extreme heat warning

#418

Post by dzhiurgis » Wed, Jun 24, 2026, 12:08 PM UTC

vasachi wrote: post #213

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.

I don’t get it. How much do AC units cost in EU? I can buy one for, like, $200-300.

You'll probably want a split unit. Minimum $600 including install in Eastern Europe, but more likely to be over 1k.

Extrapolate salaries, cost of living and that's more like 3k in your money.

That said magic happens when government subsidizes things. Friend spent 8k euro for 10kW solar + 15kWH battery system, of which government reimbursed 7.8k. 1.35k USD for entire system, when you'd pay this much for someone to plug some cables for half a day.

Re: Extreme Heat conference cancelled due to extreme heat warning

#419

Post by subscribed » Wed, Jun 24, 2026, 12:13 PM UTC

thayne wrote: post #280

yrjrjjrjjtjjr wrote: post #247

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You gotta take entropy into account too. Sunshine is high grade energy, infrared is low grade. Reflecting high grade energy is a huge waste. You could even (in theory) run a solar powered space-ir-dumper and end up with net cooling of earth.

Solar panels work by taking "high grade" energy from sunshine, doing some useful work with it, and increasing entropy by producing heat. That heat does radiate energy away at infrared wavelengths, but then greenhouse gases come into play. Greenhouse gases are very effective at reflecting infrared radiation back down to earth, so the heat is trapped.

Is this your objection to solar panels then?

Let's burn more dinosaur juice instead of using passive, clean device.

Re: Extreme Heat conference cancelled due to extreme heat warning

#420

Post by dzhiurgis » Wed, Jun 24, 2026, 12:13 PM UTC

crote wrote: post #234

zarzavat wrote: post #206

Earlier quoted context omitted.

An AC unit essentially requires just a small hole in the wall and a bracket to hold the compressor unit. Europeans have walls don't they? I'm European and I have a wall that could host an AC unit. The barrier is regulatory not engineering.

By all means install an AC unit to deal with the worst of it. Just install shades as well when you've got the scaffolding out so you can install a smaller, cheaper, and less energy-hungry one. Unfortunately I personally live in a highrise, and in a rental unit, so that "small hole and a bracket" definitely isn't an option for everyone.

Scaffolding to install AC?

Found the bureaucrat!