LONDON – As London swelters through successive heatwaves and record temperatures, the local government’s long-held opposition to air conditioning appears to be melting.

Requirements intended to keep the city’s inhabitants safe from extreme heat were laid out by the office of the Mayor of London this week.

The draft plan says air-conditioners will probably be necessary in schools, hospitals and care homes. 

The plan “does not prevent the use of air-conditioning in new buildings and it is likely that it will need to be provided in heat-sensitive uses such as hospitals, care homes, and schools,” according to the document, which was released on July 16.

The previous plan had said air conditioning was “not desirable.”

The office has long voiced scepticism toward air conditioning, due to the technology’s energy consumption and to the urban heat island effect that is worsened when hot air is transferred from buildings to streets.

But as Londoners struggle to cope with extreme heat in a city that was designed for a cooler climate, pressure has been mounting on Mayor Sadiq Khan to respond.

Temperatures above 35 deg C through May and June forced many of London’s schools to close, setting off a ripple effect that dragged parents away from work as they looked after their children at home. 

In late June, British teachers said their classrooms were reaching temperatures as high as 38 deg C, according to the non-profit Global Witness.

While many schools closed because of the heat, others stayed open in line with the British government’s official advice. 

At the same time, many London homes aren’t designed for the kinds of temperatures...