Recent record-breaking heatwaves in Europe and North America have caused many deaths and serious infrastructure failures. These events highlight a critical difference in how buildings in these two regions handle extreme heat.

近期歐洲與北美地區出現打破紀錄的熱浪，造成許多人死亡以及嚴重的基礎設施故障。這些事件凸顯了這兩個地區的建築物在處理極端高溫方面的關鍵差異。

Europe has experienced unusual heatwaves caused by 'heat domes' that pushed temperatures far above normal. For example, June 2026 was the hottest June in France since 1947. This change has caused a public health crisis, with a significant increase in deaths, especially in private homes. The World Health Organization and researchers emphasize that this is due to global warming, noting that Europe is warming twice as fast as the global average. Consequently, traditional European buildings, which were designed to keep heat inside, are now inadequate. This has led to the cancellation of public events and the failure of nuclear power plants because river temperatures became too high.

歐洲經歷了由「熱穹頂」引起的異常熱浪，使氣溫遠高於正常水平。例如，2026年6月是法國自1947年以來最熱的6月。這種變化引發了公共衛生危機，死亡人數大幅增加，尤其是在私人住宅中。世界衛生組織與研究人員強調，這是由於全球暖化所致，並指出歐洲的暖化速度是全球平均速度的兩倍。因此，原本設計為保留熱能的傳統歐洲建築現在已不足以應對。這導致了公共活動的取消，以及核電廠因河水溫度過高而故障。

In contrast, the United States faces a different problem based on its heavy reliance on air conditioning since World War II. The availability of cheap window units allowed cities to grow in hot, dry areas like Phoenix, but it also led people to ignore natural cooling designs. While this reliance initially reduced heat-related deaths, it created a dangerous dependency on the electrical grid. Data suggests that a two-day power failure in Phoenix during a heatwave could cause thousands of deaths. Furthermore, this risk is higher for people living in mobile homes, which have poor insulation and absorb more heat.

相比之下，美國面臨的問題則在於自第二次世界大戰以來對空調的高度依賴。廉價窗型冷氣單元的普及，使得鳳凰城等炎熱乾燥地區得以發展，但同時也導致人們忽略了自然冷卻設計。雖然這種依賴最初減少了與高溫相關的死亡人數，但卻造成了對電網的危險依賴。數據顯示，鳳凰城在熱浪期間若發生兩天停電，可能會導致數千人死亡。此外，居住在行動房屋（mobile homes）的人風險更高，因為這些房屋隔熱效果差且吸收更多熱量。

Institutional responses to these problems remain inconsistent. In Europe, some politicians suggest installing more air conditioning, whereas climate analysts argue that this only treats the symptoms rather than solving the energy problem. In the U.S., the use of 'Passive House' standards—which keep interiors cool without using electricity—remains very low at about 1%. Although evidence from Massachusetts shows that these standards do not significantly increase costs or slow down construction, adoption is limited by a lack of awareness and the end of federal tax incentives.

機構對這些問題的回應仍然不一致。在歐洲，部分政治人物建議安裝更多空調，而氣候分析師則認為這僅是在對症下藥而非解決能源問題。在美國，「被動房」（Passive House）標準——即無需電力即可保持室內涼爽的設計——的採用率仍然非常低，約為 1%。儘管馬薩舒塞州的證據顯示，這些標準並不會顯著增加成本或減緩施工速度，但由於缺乏認知以及聯邦稅務優惠的終結，使得普及率受限。

Global temperature instability continues to show the dangers of both European and American building strategies. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a systemic shift toward climate-resilient architecture.

全球氣溫的不穩定性持續顯示出歐洲與美國建築策略的危險性。因此，迫切需要將系統轉向能適應氣候的建築設計。