Creative Solutions for Beating the Heat in a Humid Climate
“See that huge fan behind me? With no air conditioner, that’s the only thing keeping me cool for the past 22 years,” says engineer Tan Jian Zhen, gesturing to his old-school fan whirring behind him. “Actually, I might need to oil it. That thing is getting really noisy now,” he laughs during our Zoom call.
As the fan turns, Jian Zhen and I engage in a lighthearted discussion about the various practical ways he has tried to combat Singapore’s relentless heat and humidity—without the luxury of air conditioning. Unfortunately, in the ongoing battle between engineer and climate, Jian Zhen often finds himself on the losing end.
Like Jian Zhen, many Singaporeans have grown up without air conditioning, enduring countless hot and sticky days and nights with no cool respite. For him, surviving Singapore’s heat feels like an endless game of hide-and-seek, but with less fun and the unwelcome prize of an unproductive workday.
He recalls a particularly sweltering afternoon when temperatures felt like 40 degrees Celsius: “I couldn’t do anything except hide around the house,” he shares. “I took refuge wherever I could find shade. As long as I stayed out of direct sunlight, I would be fine.”
Meanwhile, advertising strategist Zhang Weitian compares the heat to a suffocating version of Groundhog Day. “Each time I step out of the bathroom, it feels as if I’ve just showered again in my own sweat,” she exclaims.
Living in a constant state of stickiness serves as a stark reminder of Singapore’s proximity to the equator. Unsurprisingly, the country has the highest number of air conditioners per capita in Southeast Asia. According to the House Expenditure Survey of 2017/18, 79.7 percent of households in Singapore own an air conditioner—up from 76.1 percent in the previous survey. Air conditioner retailers have also reported a surge in sales and maintenance services, driven by the sweltering weather earlier this year.
Hot, Muggy, and Frustrated
In Weitian’s home, the layout is carefully divided into zones, strategically avoiding the sun’s relentless rays. “The sun is unbearable on weekends,” she continues. “We don’t venture into the front part of the living room because that’s where all the windows are. During the day, it’s off-limits.”
For 20-year-old Nur Shima Shahira, merely turning her head can trigger a sweat—almost as naturally as breathing. “It’s very uncomfortable. I can get sweaty just putting on my makeup—it ruins the whole look,” she laments, beads of perspiration already forming on her forehead.
The heat can bring about feelings of defeat. “It feels like nothing is ever going to change. I’ll just be sweaty all day, and no matter how often I bathe or switch on the fan, it doesn’t help,” Shima says.
Rachel Lin, also 20, recalls how tensions in her household rose along with the temperatures during the Circuit Breaker, when everyone was stuck at home. “We argued more and got irritated easily,” she explains. “With the Circuit Breaker, we had fewer options to cool down, and being trapped indoors definitely added to the heat.”
Crafty Solutions to Stay Cool
Living without an air conditioner necessitates creativity in combating the heat. “I think the refrigerator is a great place to put your hand,” Rachel chuckles when I ask her favorite cooling strategy. A similar tactic was used by my editor, Zat, who humorously recalls stuffing his whole head inside.
To cope with the heat, Rachel and her sisters schedule their time working from home in the most ventilated areas of their house. “We share common spaces, so we have to take turns using the fan,” she says.
Weitian remembers a more crafty approach during particularly unbearable days with her sister. Besides enjoying ice-cold drinks, they folded paper fans from magazine pages to help combat the heat. “Our house is filled with these makeshift paper fans, all to fight off the sweltering temperatures,” she recalls.
With her study desk located firmly in the “no-go zone” of her home, Weitian had to plan her study sessions strategically. “It was really hard to study during the day, so I’d end up working late into the night. That area was much cooler, and I didn’t even need to switch on a fan.”
Keeping Cool for Dummies (and Engineers)
When it comes to mastering the art of staying cool in Singapore’s heat, good ventilation and a dash of creativity are essential. Jian Zhen explains that encouraging airflow is key, especially since his room receives the full brunt of the morning and evening sun due to its East-West orientation. Armed with a dehumidifier to turn the thick, stuffy air into something more bearable, he takes his small victories wherever he can.
He devised a plan with a friend to enhance airflow through their home. “We opened all the windows and doors, positioning three fans—one in my room, one in my brother’s, and one in the hallway,” Jian Zhen explains. “The air circulation was fantastic, but it didn’t cool the rooms at all,” he laughs.
Even nighttime offers little respite. “When the sun sets, all that heat from the day has to go somewhere,” Rachel says. “I often wake up in the middle of the night because it gets too hot.” Her inventive solution? “Since my bed frames are metal and feel cooler, I hang my body over it to cool down,” she admits with a sheepish grin.
The City of Aircons That Never Sleeps
“Coming to Singapore was a culture shock for me. I never realized that everyone here had air conditioning,” Jian Zhen reflects, having moved from Malaysia when he was eight. “I just look up at all the HDB flats, and there they are—air conditioning units everywhere.”
“Something seems off,” he muses thoughtfully. Entering an air-conditioned room feels surreal to him, almost like how it should be. “It’s like wearing glasses after tripping over things all the time,” he describes. “You can relax without worrying about whether you need to shower again.”
Shima shares a similar sentiment about her first experience at a friend’s house with air conditioning. “It was an eye-opening experience,” she recalls, “especially since it was a scorching day and she had the air conditioning on. I remember thinking, ‘So this is what it’s like to have air conditioning at home. It’s so convenient.’”
Unlike others, Weitian experienced air conditioning at home while living with her family, but it was reserved for special occasions, making those moments all the more cherished. “We had an air conditioner in each room, but they were hardly used—less than five times a year,” she remembers. “We’d only turn it on for special events like Chinese New Year when relatives were over. Those times felt like winning a golden ticket.”
The Cost of Cool Air: PTSD
“So why not just get an air conditioner?” some might suggest. If only it were that simple. The reality is that for many, cost is the primary barrier.
A quick online search shows that air conditioners range from S$700 for a Mitsubishi Electric Starmex System 1 Inverter to a staggering S$3,058 for the Daikin Smile Series System 4. This doesn’t include servicing and maintenance costs, which start at around S$60 to S$80 for three units, requiring attention every three months to remain effective.
Beyond financial constraints, other factors play into the decision to buy an air conditioner. Shima explains, “My brother and I have been urging our family to buy one. But when we discuss it with my mom, she always asks, ‘Why bother?’”
She believes that since they’ve endured the heat their whole lives, they should continue to cope without air conditioning. For Shima and her family, the decision to invest in an air conditioner involves careful consideration of both costs and logistics, especially in their small living space.
With rising inflation and skyrocketing electricity bills, investing in air conditioning may not seem financially prudent. Yet with fluctuating electricity costs, determining the right time to buy is challenging.
Weitian, who now lives in a rental unit with air conditioning during renovations, notes, “I saw a stark difference in my electricity bills when I used the air conditioning compared to when I didn’t. Without government subsidies, I’d be paying nearly S$200 a month—an amount I could allocate to more pressing expenses.”
Even though Weitian now has access to air conditioning, her frugal upbringing has instilled lingering hesitance. “For some reason, I still feel uncomfortable using the air conditioner. Maybe it’s like PTSD—whenever I turn it on, I feel a pang of guilt,” she confesses.
Is Staying Cool a Necessity?
The concept of PTSD associated with air conditioning was unexpected. However, for many Singaporeans, cool air symbolizes more than just comfort. For some, each refreshing breeze from an air conditioner represents not only physical relief but also the financial implications tied to it.
The late Mr. Lee Kuan Yew famously stated that the air conditioner is one of Singapore’s greatest inventions, attributing its installation in civil service buildings as his first act as Prime Minister.
Nevertheless, Singapore cannot escape its equatorial climate, and with climate change looming, the weather is set to become increasingly unpredictable. This calls for a more unified approach to manage the heat effectively, minimizing the impact on both people and the environment.
“The air conditioner has become a luxury for many,” Jian Zhen observes, “but it’s increasingly turning into a necessity as the weather makes it difficult to function without it.”
“That’s not a good thing anymore, is it?”
