38°C in Basel, tropical nights, flats that fail to cool down by morning, and air conditioners disappearing from the shelves. The summer of 2026 has once again brought Switzerland face to face with an issue the country has traditionally approached with some restraint: keeping homes cool.

In June, temperatures in Basel reached 38°C — a new Swiss record for the month. And as temperatures soared, so did demand for air conditioning.

Looking for an air conditioner? Good luck finding one

In June 2026, Galaxus sold more air conditioners and fans than in any previous month. Sales of air-conditioning units were 38% higher than the previous record, set in June 2025.

The result was predictable: many of the most popular models sold out. By the end of July, Swiss media were reporting that air conditioners had become extremely difficult to find, both in Switzerland and across much of Europe.

Restocking them quickly has proved difficult too. According to Galaxus, suppliers’ warehouses across Europe have also been largely depleted, while major new shipments from Asia may not arrive until the summer season is already over.

So why not simply install a proper split-system air conditioner?

This is where the story becomes particularly Swiss.

A portable air conditioner can simply be placed inside a flat. As a rule, if it requires no alterations to the building, a tenant does not need a separate permit.

Installing a permanent split system is considerably more complicated. These systems have both an indoor and an outdoor unit, and installing them usually involves modifications to the building.

In Zurich, for example, installing an air-conditioning system is among the types of work that require planning permission. Cooling systems are also subject to energy-efficiency requirements.

For tenants, there is another important party involved: the property owner. A permanent system involving an outdoor unit and alterations to the building requires the landlord’s consent.

This has created a rather curious situation. The easiest option is to buy a portable air conditioner, even though these units are generally noisier and less efficient. Installing a more efficient permanent split system is considerably more difficult.

When it is 30°C inside your home

The experiences of residents themselves show just how much of an everyday problem this has become.

This summer, a man living in central Zurich wrote in a Swiss online community that the temperature in his flat remained at around 30°C during the night. He would wake at around 3 a.m. and struggle to get back to sleep, while his portable air conditioner was too noisy to run overnight.

Eventually, he began looking for somewhere in the mountains where he could spend the hottest part of the summer while continuing to work remotely. He later wrote that he had temporarily moved to the Engadin and had finally found the cool temperatures he had been looking for.

It is the experience of one person rather than a statistic. But it captures a problem that residents of Swiss cities are increasingly having to deal with.

Hot weather is driving demand for air conditioners in Switzerland. Photo: Tiko Aramyan / Shutterstock

Heat is becoming a rental issue too

This summer, the Zurich Tenants’ Association also weighed in on the subject.

According to its guidance, if a flat becomes so hot that it significantly affects normal living conditions, excessive indoor temperatures may, under certain circumstances, be considered a defect in the rented property.

Tenants can ask their landlord to consider reasonable measures, such as installing external blinds, shutters or heat-protection film. In some cases, there may even be grounds for a rent reduction.

However, tenants do not automatically have the right to demand air conditioning.

Now Parliament wants to change the rules

It is against this backdrop that parliamentary initiative No. 26.429 has been submitted at federal level.

Its authors propose allowing permanent split-system air conditioners to be installed throughout Switzerland without requiring planning permission, as well as removing the current restriction on cooling capacity.

Their reasoning is highly practical: heat affects sleep, health and productivity, while complicated regulations encourage people to rely on portable single-unit air conditioners, which are less efficient.

There is also an interesting argument concerning energy. Demand for cooling is highest during hot, sunny hours — precisely when solar installations are generating large amounts of electricity.

For now, this remains a parliamentary initiative. The rules have not changed, and the proposal still has to make its way through the political process.

And even if it is approved, tenants will still need their landlord’s consent for alterations to the building.

Switzerland is adapting to a new reality

Until quite recently, air conditioning in a Swiss flat could easily be regarded as an optional comfort. Today, the conversation is increasingly about sleep, wellbeing, the ability to work and simply being able to live comfortably through prolonged periods of extreme heat.

Demand for air conditioning has surged again this summer, popular models are disappearing from shops, and Parliament is now considering whether to rethink rules that have restricted the installation of permanent systems for years.

Many Swiss buildings were designed for a different climate, and the country is now having to adapt to a new reality. The question increasingly seems to be how to make home cooling accessible, efficient and suitable for summers that are becoming progressively hotter.

Sources

Swiss Federal Parliament — Parliamentary Initiative 26.429

Zurich Tenants’ Association — Rights when a flat becomes too hot

Galaxus — Record demand and shortages of air conditioners

Blick — Air conditioners selling out across Switzerland

SRF — Heat and Switzerland’s changing energy needs