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Brits heading to Spain won’t be able to escape the heat after new air-con law introduced

Published 11:47 3 Aug 2022 BST

April Curtin
Brits heading to Spain won’t be able to escape the heat after new air-con law introduced

Homenews

New, energy-saving laws could leave Brits in a sticky situation

There'll be no escaping the heat for Brits heading to Spain for a summer getaway, as new laws will restrict how cold venues can have their air-con. Shops, offices and hospitality venues won't be allowed to set their cooling systems below 27C throughout the summer months, in a bid to save energy. [caption id="attachment_351853" align="alignnone" width="2048"]People sunbathing on a beach Nothing beats a bit of air con after a sunbathing sesh on the beach[/caption] On the flip side, those flocking to Spain for a winter break could also struggle to stay at the perfect temperature, given that venues won't be allowed to have the heating on above 19C under the new regulations. So, hand fans and blankets at the ready. [caption id="attachment_351850" align="alignnone" width="2048"]Air con shows 19C temperature You won't be getting any warmer than this in Spanish shops and hospitality venues during the winter months[/caption] Ecological transition minister Teresa Ribera is keen to crack down of energy use in Spain, so will ensure shop doors are kept closed, store window lights are turned off after 10pm, and heating systems are checked more often to boost efficiency. The Spanish government hopes to reduce its gas consumption by seven per cent, in line with an EU-wide agreement to limit dependency on Russian gas. Announcing the new measures last week, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said: "You just need to walk into a shopping mall to realise that maybe the temperature is set too low." The measures will initially be in force until 2023. [caption id="attachment_351863" align="alignnone" width="2048"]PINOS PUENTE, SPAIN - JULY 25: Two forest firefighters from INFOCA work to extinguish a fire on July 25, 2022 in Pinos Puente, Spain. Forest fires have devastated almost 200,000 hectares in Spain this year, already considered the worst of the century. (Photo by Carlos Gil Andreu/Getty Images) Spain suffered two heatwaves last month while areas of the country were engulfed by wildfires (Image: Getty)[/caption] Spain recorded two heatwaves in July alone, with temperatures reaching a record 45.6C in Almonte, and a third heatwave warning was issued by the Spanish Meteorological Agency on Tuesday. Firefighters battled against huge wildfires which saw thousands evacuated from their homes across Europe last month, and at least 500 deaths were linked to the extremely high temperatures in Spain, BBC reported in July. Related links:

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Brits heading to Spain won't be able to escape the heat after new air-con law introduced