[ricardobayes]

well try non-insulated tiles here in Spain haha. I don't know why houses are built to such a low standard in Spain. Even the UK had better quality constructions when I was there, and that says a lot (single glazed windows, poor insulation, weak plumbing)

[madaxe_again]

Portugal manage to be even worse. You’ll be stood there in someone’s kitchen wearing a coat and gloves, watching your breath condense, and they’ll be like “oh but we don’t get cold winters like you do in the northern countries”. That’s the rationale. The reason is actually more likely financial.

[joking]

no harsh climate overall so much less insulation is needed?

[ricardobayes]

Mainland Spain falls into the single digits at night at winter so definitely would need insulation, because there is also no central heating. People resort to heating with their aircons and portable heaters. I'm sad because I expected better infrastructure from 45% income tax at the highest bracket.

[jakub_g]

I come from Poland (sub-zero in winter; can be anywhere from -20C to +10C but typically 0-5C), but the winter I lived on the Spanish eastern coast was the coldest in my life: thin walls and windows, stone floor, no heating apart from little portable heaters, 5 degrees and rain outside.

Now I live in French southern coast, the buildings are slightly better but still poor. In my place even with all heaters I have on max, I'm nowhere near as comfortable as in properly built and heated apartments in my home place (actually when visiting friends in Poland in winter I'm almost overheating!).

Basically half of the year it's quite uncomfortable to stay at home for prolonged time: for ~4 months a year at winter; then again for ~2-3 months at summer (+26C at home with blinds down unless you put aircon on max for hours). Kinda suboptimal for WFH to be honest :)

[inglor_cz]

I have an acquaintance in Madrid. Visiting her, I never know what to prepare for.

An Easter visit was miserable, because the condo building did not even have central heating. With night temperatures around 5 degree Celsius, I could barely sleep.

Then comes the summer and 40+ Celsius is at least as unbearable...

Spanish construction standards are pretty ascetic.