Air conditioner sales in Belgium up 17 per cent this summer
Sales of air conditioners this summer are 17 percent higher than in the summer of 2024, the Belgian Association for Refrigeration and Air Treatment (Frixis) told Belga on Tuesday. This rise is largely due to the increasing frequency of heatwaves in recent years.
According to Frixis’ data, air conditioner sales in July increased by about 17 percent compared to the same month last year. “The trend is similar to summer 2022, which was also very hot,” explained Herwig Coppens, president of Frixis. “Last year, the summer was milder, so demand was lower.”
Daikin, Europe’s market leader in air conditioning sales, has seen its Belgian sales triple over the past 15 years. “Heatwaves are a key factor driving the rising demand for air conditioners,” said spokeswoman Sofie Sap. “Since the 2003 heatwave — one of the first major ones in Europe — air conditioning has become much more accepted in households.”
According to Sap, the rising demand isn’t solely due to climate change. The increase in remote work and the energy transition also play important roles.
Not just for cooling
But air conditioners are not just used to cool homes. Belgian installers mainly fit units that can also function as heaters. “In many countries, like those in Scandinavia, our air conditioners are installed primarily for heating purposes,” Sap added.
These systems are increasingly used as low-carbon alternatives to traditional heating. Especially when paired with solar panels, they offer a cost-effective solution.
In Sweden, Daikin’s market has grown 1.5 times, and across Europe, sales of these systems have increased by 1.75 times over the past 15 years. In the Netherlands, sales have even quadrupled over that period.
© BELGA PHOTO DIRK WAEM
Related news
