The ridiculous reason why Hong Kong malls are extremely cold

Air conditioning in Hong Kong makes up as much as 30% of all electricity used in the city each year, and that number skyrockets to as much as 60% during the summer

Megan Willett - - March 20, 2015



All in the perception of luxury or a sign of wealth, give me a break --Ed.



Shoppers keep their coats on while walking past a Hugo Boss store.It’s a common problem that come summer, everyone in Hong Kong gets a cold. It has nothing to do with the temperatures outside, but instead the constant and unrelenting air conditioning inside.



"Often I have been to TST on shopping mall visits — yes, that’s my job — and end up shivering in the Cartier, Chanel, Duty Free Shoppers, and Omega stores as the air conditioning was on full throttle," HSBC managing director Ewan Rambourg writes in his book "The Bling Dynasty: Why the Reign of Chinese Luxury Shoppers Has Only Just Begun." "In Hong Kong, freezing is good."



A Time Out Hong Kong report on air conditioning abuse found that the luxurious IFC mall was kept at a frigid 59 degrees Fahrenheit, while the local grocery stores were as cold as 54 degrees. ... [Read More]

The ridiculous reason why Hong Kong malls are extremely cold