Keep cool: Italy puts limits on air condition temperatures to save energy amid Ukraine war

One official says ‘every drop of sweat’ in summer would be a ‘drop of blood spared among the Ukrainian population’

Italy is set to put controls on how warm or cold air temperature is in public buildings (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Italy is set to ban air conditioning under 25C in certain buildings during the summer months as it looks to keep energy costs down due to the Ukraine war sending prices soaring.

The plan − reportedly dubbed “operation thermostat” − was passed through the Italian Senate on Thursday.

It will prevent public buildings, including government offices and schools, from having air conditioning set below 27C during summer, allowing for a 2C leniency.

Meanwhile, during winter, the average heating temperature must not exceed 19C, with 21C as the absolute maximum permitted.

Hospitals and care homes will be excluded from the new rules, which are set to become law within the next week.

The new limits on air temperature in public buildings are set to come into force at the start of May and last until the end of March next year.

They are included in emergency legislation over energy − aimed at keeping down costs and boosting renewable capacity − as the war in Ukraine wages on and Italy looks to wean itself off Russian gas.

Mario Draghi, Italy’s prime minister, has previously suggested Italians could face a choice between air conditioning or peace in eastern Europe.

Asked about the controversial comments in a newspaper interview last week, he said wanted to make two points with the message.

“The first is symbolic: peace is worth sacrifices. The second is more factual: the sacrifice, in this case, is equivalent to a few degrees temperature difference,” Mr Draghi said.

He added: “Peace is more important, regardless of the sacrifice, but in this case, the sacrifice is small anyway.”

Earlier this week, Giorgio Mule, an undersecretary in Italy’s defence ministry, said slashing energy consumption from air conditioning would mean “every drop of sweat poured in summer will be a drop of blood spared among the Ukrainian population”.

The air temperature controls for public buildings were inserted as an amendment into the energy strategy proposals going through parliament. The government said the proposals aim to slash the amount of energy used and to make immediate savings.

Energy prices were rising even before Russia invaded Ukraine. But costs have gone through the roof since Russia launched the attack on its neighbour on 24 February.

Italy gets some 40 per cent of its imported gas from Russia and has been looking to diversify its energy sources since the invasion.

Ahead of Thursday’s vote on the plans, a minister said the country could end up being independent of this imported energy source by the end of next year, according to newspaper La Stampa.