The Met Office reports this summer as the sunniest and driest on record, with temperatures above average for 79 consecutive days. Researchers from Imperial College London and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine estimate 263 excess deaths in London during the June heatwave, with around 65% attributed to climate change.
“2022 might have seen more dramatic temperature peaks, but this year seems to mark a move into much longer and more relentless periods of heat stress,” said BESA technical director Kevin Morrissey. “This is significant because it suggests we are experiencing a new long-term weather pattern which calls for a more concerted effort to adapt our built environment.”
Research by Friends of the Earth and the University of Manchester identified nearly 5,000 neighbourhoods in England regularly affected by heat stress. These areas include over 1,000 hospitals, 10,000 nurseries, and a similar number of care homes.
FoE warns that heat-related deaths could exceed 10,000 annually by 2050 and is urging the government to strengthen its climate adaptation plans.
“There are multiple technical solutions available, including both passive and mechanical cooling systems,” said Morrissey. “However, to ensure these reach the most vulnerable in our society, cooling must now become a central part of the UK’s push to decarbonise the built environment, which continues to focus primarily on how we heat buildings.”
He added that adapting the Boiler Upgrade Scheme to support heat pumps capable of cooling as well as heating “would be a positive and easy first step.”
BESA argues that overheating should be included in building safety regulations. It notes that fire-resistant insulation, while essential, can increase overheating risk unless paired with adequate ventilation and cooling.
“Overheating is the most overlooked building safety issue,” Morrissey said. “Improving insulation to reduce heat loss and protect occupants from fire is extremely important, but in many cases, this is exacerbating growing health problems caused by poor indoor air quality and condensation by raising temperature and humidity and reducing air change rates.”
BESA, which oversees the REFCOM registration scheme for refrigeration and air conditioning, said demand for residential cooling is rising. It cautioned that installations must meet legal and technical standards.
“There is always a risk with any growth market that it attracts the wrong kind of commercial interest,” Morrissey said. “We are seeing a surge in demand for heat pumps and for domestic cooling systems, but these need to be properly designed and appropriate for each project.”
He warned that unqualified installers could pose risks to public safety and the environment. “There is a ‘cowboy’ element out there who could do untold damage to this industry and put both the environment and the public at risk of harm, if regulations are not properly enforced.”
Morrissey said the Building Safety Act is improving standards in construction and that cooling systems should be subject to similar oversight: “The role of cooling needs to receive a similar level of scrutiny to ensure it can play its part in keeping building occupants safe and healthy.”