An interesting fact I was told: a typical American apartment uses more electricity on AC than a typical modern apartment in the Persian gulf countries.
Besides the near absence of insulation, a lot has to do with design itself. Prevalence of huge windows or glazed curtainwalls, indoor convection, exposed floor slabs, huge balconies, abundance of complex shapes, and no avoidance of West-East orientation.
There's a stat that goes around that says something like "10 billion people can't live at Western standards of living". What it doesn't mention is that the "western" expenditure is massively inflated by Americans being unable to muster the small amount of collective action required for them to benefit from well insulated houses, safe/efficient cars etc.
Besides the near absence of insulation, a lot has to do with design itself. Prevalence of huge windows or glazed curtainwalls, indoor convection, exposed floor slabs, huge balconies, abundance of complex shapes, and no avoidance of West-East orientation.