In an era of extreme summers, it’s time to look beyond air conditioning

In response to increasingly extreme summer weather, Hong Kong's Labour Department has recently upgraded its Heat Stress at Work Warning system. The adjustment is designed to facilitate the issuance of higher-tier alerts, enabling employers and workers—particularly those in outdoor occupations—to respond more swiftly to dangerous heat conditions.

While the enhanced alert system aims to improve workplace safety during periods of high temperatures, experts and analysts suggest that addressing the broader challenges of extreme summer heat requires looking beyond conventional cooling methods such as air conditioning.