Heat Wave Drives Surge in Air Conditioning Across U.S.

Parts of the country see temperatures 40 degrees above normal as more homes add cooling systems.

Mar. 22, 2026 at 9:35pm

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A heat wave has hit large parts of the United States, leading to a surge in air conditioning usage across the country. Regions like the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, and Denver have seen significant increases in the number of homes with primary air conditioning in recent years as residents seek relief from rising temperatures. While air conditioning provides cooling and comfort, it also contributes to climate change through increased energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

Why it matters

The rapid adoption of air conditioning highlights how communities are adapting to the impacts of climate change, with more people seeking mechanical cooling solutions. However, this reliance on air conditioning raises concerns about sustainability and the environmental toll of energy-intensive cooling systems. Experts argue that alternative cooling methods and building design could provide more efficient and environmentally-friendly ways to beat the heat.

The details

The share of homes with primary air conditioning has risen significantly in many parts of the country, including the San Francisco Bay Area (47% increase from 2015 to 2023), greater Seattle (19 percentage point increase from 2019 to 2023), and Denver (double-digit increase in less than a decade). In contrast, regions like Metro Atlanta, Dallas, Miami, and New Orleans have seen little change in air conditioning adoption in recent years. Experts note that many buildings, especially in historically cooler areas, were not designed to embrace alternate cooling methods like external shading, contributing to the reliance on air conditioning.

  • On Friday, March 22, 2026, San Francisco hit 90 degrees, the first day of spring.
  • In 2023, about 93% of occupied American housing units had primary air conditioning, up from 89% in 2015.

The players

Lucas W. Davis

A business professor at the University of California, Berkeley who has studied the spread of air conditioning.

Dorit Aviv

An assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania and the director of the Thermal Architecture Lab there.

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What they’re saying

“It doesn't take too many heat waves before you see a lot of air-conditioning, even in places like the Pacific Northwest.”

— Lucas W. Davis, Business professor

“It's all about the body's heat balance, and there are multiple ways we can achieve that. But this country is so saturated with air-conditioners that we think one control — the temperature on the thermostat — is going to make us feel better.”

— Dorit Aviv, Assistant professor

The takeaway

The surge in air conditioning usage across the U.S. highlights the growing need for communities to find sustainable and energy-efficient ways to adapt to the impacts of climate change. While air conditioning provides relief from rising temperatures, its environmental toll underscores the importance of exploring alternative cooling methods and building designs that can provide comfort without exacerbating the very problems they aim to solve.