Daikin World Air Survey 2026
Living in a Hotter World: How People Are Adapting to Heat

Osaka, Japan, August 7, 2026 - Daikin Industries, Ltd., a global leader in HVAC&R (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration) solutions, reports the results of its second Daikin World Air Survey. The survey gathered responses from 1,200 air conditioner owners across 12 cities worldwide, exploring perceptions of heat, changes in daily behaviors due to heat, and air conditioning usage.

Record-breaking temperatures and heatwaves have become increasingly common around the world in recent years. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 2024 was the warmest year on record globally, while 2023 and 2025 ranked second and third, respectively.*¹ As rising temperatures increasingly affect daily life, health and cooling needs, the survey explores how people are adapting to a hotter world.

What This Survey Finds

• • Areas feel hotter: 86.5% of respondents say their area has become hotter compared to five years ago.
• Heat is changing daily routines: 59.1% say they have avoided going out or doing outdoor activities because of the heat.
• Health and well-being are affected: 89.9% of respondents report some form of heat-related physical discomfort.
• Cooling seasons are getting longer: 84.1% of respondents say the period during which they use air conditioning has become longer.
• • Many people face barriers to cooling: 64.4% of respondents say there are times when they cannot use air conditioning as much as they would like to because of costs, power supply, or other constraints.

86.5% feel their area has become hotter

How have temperatures actually changed in each city?

Data from the Japan Meteorological Agency show that Bangkok and Delhi, where many respondents perceived their area to be hotter than five years ago, are among the warmest of the 12 cities surveyed. While maximum temperatures in Bangkok have continued to trend upward in recent years, Delhi has experienced a slight decline.

These findings suggest that perceptions of rising heat are not necessarily driven by maximum temperatures alone. Because temperatures fluctuate considerably across seasons and years, people may also be influenced by other indicators of heat, including the frequency and intensity of heatwaves, the number of extremely hot days, and the occurrence of tropical nights.

Dubai, UAE, recorded the highest average maximum temperature among the 12 cities, exceeding 40.0ºC/104.0℉. By contrast, Paris, France, had an average maximum temperature around 26.0ºC/78.8℉, lower than many of the other cities surveyed, despite experiencing severe heatwaves this year. This highlights the fact that Paris has historically had a more moderate summer climate than many of the hotter regions included in the survey.

Living with Heat in Europe

Hotter summers reshaping perceptions of cooling. 

According to the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), Europe is the fastest-warming continent globally and June 2026 was the hottest June on record in western Europe*2. As extreme heat becomes more frequent, attention is increasingly turning to how homes, buildings and cities can adapt to a warmer climate.

Although the survey was conducted between 29 May and 5 June 2026, respondents in Paris and Madrid were already reporting growing exposure to increased heat and longer cooling seasons before the major heatwaves that affected their region later that summer. Public concern about heat-related health risks, cooling needs and climate adaptation may have increased further following these extreme weather events.

In Madrid, 93% of respondents said their area had become hotter than it was five years ago, while 89% of respondents in Paris, France, shared the same view. In addition, 87% of respondents in Madrid and 75% in Paris reported that their cooling season had become longer. These findings suggest that cooling is becoming an increasingly important aspect of adapting to life in a warmer climate, even in regions that have traditionally experienced more moderate summer temperatures.

*2

Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), European State of the Climate 2025 https://climate.copernicus.eu/esotc/2025

Copernicus Climate Bulletin, June 2026 Highlights https://climate.copernicus.eu/climate-bulletin

Heat is changing how people live and spend their time

89.9% have experienced heat-related physical discomfort

Cooling seasons are getting longer

As behavior changes in response to heat, the way people use air conditioning is also changing. When asked, “Compared with five years ago, how has the period during which you use air conditioning for cooling, from the start to the end of use within a year, changed?”, 84.1% of respondents across 12 cities said it has become longer. By city, the highest shares were in Delhi, Bangkok, and São Paulo, Brazil.

When respondents were asked how many hours they use air conditioning for cooling when spending a full day at home during the hottest time of year, the longest average usage time was in Tokyo, at 14 hours and 12 minutes. This was followed by Houston, United States, at 14 hours and 2 minutes, Dubai at 12 hours and 56 minutes, Shanghai, China, at 11 hours and 56 minutes, and New York, United States, at 11 hours and 36 minutes.

Different Homes, Different Cooling

How air conditioning systems vary around the world

Air conditioning has evolved differently around the world to suit lifestyles and housing styles.

In the United States, central air conditioning is the most common residential system. A network of ducts distributes cool or warm air throughout the home, making it well suited to larger detached houses.

In contrast, many homes in Asia and Europe use ductless mini-split systems, which allow people to cool or heat individual rooms as needed.

In Europe, the heating market is gradually shifting from traditional boilers to heat pumps. Modern air conditioning systems are reversible, providing both cooling in summer and heating in winter. As a result, technologies that were once used primarily for cooling are increasingly playing a role in year-round indoor comfort.

64.4% cannot always use air conditioning as much as they would like

The survey found that air-conditioning use is increasing around the world, but not everyone is able to use cooling as much as they need or would like. When asked, “Do you think everyone who wants to use air conditioning in your country or region is actually able to do so?”, more than 60% of respondents across 12 cities answered “Yes.” At the same time, in São Paulo, Paris, Lagos, Tokyo, and Madrid, more than half answered “No,” indicating that many people do not believe everyone who wants to use air conditioning is actually able to do so.

Looking at the respondents themselves, all of whom owned an air conditioner at home, the survey asked, “If it were not for high electricity costs or power supply constraints, would you want to increase your use of air conditioning for comfort or health reasons?” Across the 12 cities, 89.7% of respondents said they would, either “Very much” or “Somewhat.”

Affordable Cooling

Closing the gap in access to cooling

As temperatures rise around the world, access to cooling is becoming increasingly important. The International Energy Agency (IEA) points out that only about 15% of people living in hot climates own an air conditioner, and affordability remains a major challenge in many parts of the world.^*4

This challenge is also reflected in Daikin’s survey. Across 12 cities, 64.4% of respondents said they sometimes cannot use air conditioning as much as they would like because of factors such as electricity costs or power supply constraints. Addressing access to cooling is not only an energy challenge, but also a public health and climate resilience challenge, particularly for those most vulnerable to increasing heat risks.

As cooling demand continues to grow, expanding access to efficient and affordable cooling, together with reliable power infrastructure and energy-saving practices, will become increasingly important. The challenge is no longer whether cooling is needed, but how to provide cooling that is affordable, energy-efficient and sustainable.

*4 International Energy Agency (IEA), Staying Cool Without Overheating the Energy System (2025)
https://www.iea.org/commentaries/staying-cool-without-overheating-the-energy-system

About Daikin

Founded in 1924 in Osaka, Japan, Daikin Industries, Ltd. is a global leader in HVAC&R (heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration) solutions. With more than 130 production sites worldwide and operations in over 170 countries and regions, Daikin provides a broad portfolio of HVAC&R systems, controls, and integrated solutions for residential, commercial, and industrial applications. As global demand for energy-efficient cooling and heating continues to increase, Daikin remains committed to reducing environmental impact while delivering safe, reliable, comfortable, and healthy air environments. The company continues to advance high-efficiency technologies and deepen collaboration with partners and communities to create greater environmental and social value. Guided by its aspiration of “Perfecting the Air,” Daikin offers products, services, and solutions that meet the diverse needs and expectations of customers around the world. For more information, visit

www.daikin.com.

Daikin World Air Survey

https://www.daikin.com/air/daikin_techknowledge/air_survey

Selection of Survey Cities

The way air conditioners are used varies greatly depending on the climate, housing style, etc. of the area, including the average air temperature and the highest and lowest air temperatures throughout the year. In this survey, we selected the cities to be surveyed by taking into consideration the climate and geographical balance.