Santa Cruz City Council Rejects School Air Conditioning Proposal in Favor of Bioclimatic Upgrades

The latest Santa Cruz de Tenerife City Council meeting saw a heated debate over how to protect schools from rising temperatures. As reported by El Día, the council rejected a proposal from the Socialist group to install air conditioning in all 36 of the city’s schools as an emergency measure.

The local government opposed the plan, citing concerns over energy efficiency. While Socialist councilor Elena Mateo argued that there is a double standard between the cooling systems in municipal offices and those in classrooms, Infrastructure head Javier Rivero defended a different approach. He stated that the council is following national guidelines by focusing on "bioclimatic architecture." This strategy prioritizes improving building insulation—such as upgrading roofs, windows, and solar glass—rather than relying on widespread electrical cooling. The council noted that these improvements are already underway in several schools.

Despite this disagreement, the council reached a consensus on several other issues. They officially declared July 23 as the Day of the Canarian-Venezuelan Community, a move intended to honor the deep historical and social ties between Tenerife and the Venezuelan people.

The council also approved two other key initiatives: a plan to boost vocational training for the local port sector to help improve job prospects, and a motion from the Popular Party reaffirming Spanish sovereignty over the cities of Ceuta and Melilla. Overall, the session highlighted a mix of political friction over sustainability and a shared commitment to other areas of municipal policy.