Cooling is the fastest-growing end-use for energy in buildings, growing in Europe at a median rate of 6% per year since 2000. At the current rate, energy demand for cooling is projected to increase threefold by 2050. The increased need for cooling has a direct effect on the lives of energy consumers: up to 1 in 5 EU households cannot afford the cost of summer cooling.
On 30 April 2025, Cool Heating Coalition and members CAN Europe organised a strategic discussion with experts and key allies to establish EU-wide policy priorities in the face of rising cooling needs. The outcomes of this session were captures in the infographic ‘Climate-resilient buildings and sustainable cooling in a warming Europe’. The document details city and district-level recommendations for sustainable cooling, as well as measures for buildings and devices.