• Cooling behaviours an area of increasing interest under rising heat in cities. • Survey of public in Fukuoka, Japan, assesses cooling behaviour and climate awareness. • Some people use air conditioning with mitigation focus, others emphasise adaptation. • Those emphasising mitigation have lower bills and more likely to engage in other behaviours. • Messaging on air conditioning use and promoting urban greening may enable co-benefits.

In recent years, with the change in house styles in rural Thailand, the favorite place in the house and lifestyle of inhabitants has also altered. This causes an increase in energy use. Therefore, this research was conducted in order to clarify the influence on energy use of the house style, communication with the neighborhood, and happiness through the favorite place in the house and daily activities. The study identified that people who like to stay in the outside space, such as the open space beneath the house and the garden, showed higher happiness. Spending more time outside helped to communicate with the neighborhood and family, and also to use less the air conditioner and electric fan. Such a lifestyle contributes to the development of a low carbon society.