London’s risk from rising temperatures

I go out as little as possible when the heat goes above 30 as I am nearly 75 and vulnerable. I keep windows closed and have a curtain on the window that gets the sun. I keep my fan on during the day and early part of the night. I did this in 2022 and will do this again this year. There does need to be more fans in tube stations and on the tube. And on the buses. More planting is needed and more white painting on houses and flats.

I think we need to improve the public space sustainable planting and  water retention. I noticed  this week in a sudden storm, in a local park, water running off path but not into water storage area   

Trees need to be planted with open bowl for mulching and water retention as an example.

Parks could be used for garden inspiration of better planting for drought. 

One more point which occurs to me is that it’s cheap and easy to have permeable hard standing (I’m thinking of front gardens and ground level car parks). It’s been around for decades, in fact there are several versions including rubber hexagons made from recycled car tyres. Any material with holes in it will reduce runoff, slow water flow and flooding and hopefully take the pressure off the street drains. Thames Water  have not helped us Londoners, in fact they have done the opposite: water provision should be about conservation and management, not just delivery). 

I would like to see some proper work on greening streets even if it costs a few parking spaces. There a long street near me (Priors Croft, E17) that used to have trees. Several died from fungal diseases. Several more were ‘accidentally’ reversed into and died because the street has pavement parking. The contractors just paved all the tree holes over when redoing the pavement. It’s a furnace now. The council could easily shift some parking back on to the street (it’s more than wide enough) and remove a small number of total spaces in order to create proper plantings: trees plus shrubs and grasses protected by stone setts that would stop any car trying to back into it. The bottom of the street has also started to flood regularly thanks to extreme rainfall, so these be planting could be used to absorb that too. I don’t know if they need 50% of residents to support this activity (it’s public space and climate mitigation so I don’t see why they would) but it’s such a no-brained and yet the contractors just show up and tarmac everything because it’s not part of the job.  

We have been looking ways to use greenery to cool the house by keeping the sun from hitting the glass and brick of our terraced house. So we have star jasmine on a trellis growing up the east side and wisteria growing up the rear wall and along a trellis above the window — both of these put the glazing and brick in shade during the summer but have no effect during the winter (so light still comes in). We have also planted some trees further away but they will have less effect and take longer to be useful. 

Will probably have to add external shutters to the skylight and some of the top floor windows soon. And was thinking about solar panels on the roof to keep the sun from warming the tiles and rubber. 

It’s basically all ideas you’d get from a trip to Spain or France except we don’t want to paint the brick white. 

I work for a large organisation which employs thousands of people in London. My office building was built just after WW2 and some of the offices have been retrofitted with air con. Notwithstanding this and some of the other problems discussed here about coping in heatwaves, there is no information given out by my organisation about how to keep our buildings cool.  Nearly everyone believes that opening  windows to get a through draught is whats best when actually, and especially if you have aircon, closing all the blinds, windows and interconnecting doors and keeping in the cool air is what’s best. Hot air will always move to cold so if you have the windows open all youre doing is bringing in the super heated outside air into your office / room.  There is very little information out there in the public domain. A simple, timely education piece would go a long way into helping people cope with excessive heat.  

Living in a top floor flat in a new build block there is no ventilation in hot summers, you cannot get a cross breeze with open windows as they are all on the same side of the building and none of the windows open in communal areas. I lived in Australia for a while so am familiar with the idea to keep windows and blinds closed when its hotter outside than in but still my flat is 31 degrees when I come in from work. I have bought an air conditioner which helps a bit but in a small flat takes up a lot of space and is expensive to run and buy so many would not have that option. Its a housing association flat so I cannot make permanent alterations. Housing associations and developers must be forced to improve ventilation and summer cooling. I use my fan/air con from May to Sept so a significant amount of the year. 

for some reason I don't really suffer in the heat I drive my girlfriend to work she has her window down mine is always shut the fans are always off and just before I she gets out she shuts the window and I have a 35-45 minute drive home and i'm never without wearing a jacket I always have one on even in the hottest days

We are older people and found 2022 utterly unbearable and this summer even more so (because we're three years older). We both have heart problems and other health issues. Our 60s built house has large windows that face the sun from dawn to dusk. We don't have money for physical alterations outside, even if we were allowed them (we're not because of local rules) and no matter what we do inside (all the common sense things, plus heat-reflective film on windows, blinds, heavy curtains etc) have little effect. We are really struggling. 

I remember that 40+ heatwave and how ill- prepared London and the UK was and still is. Excessive and long running heat kills!  We need far more shade for our buildings and people- shop awnings to keep sun off, more planting, greenery. Education is needed to value water as a precious commodity for the future. UK has poor water storage and this will impact significantly in the future 

 Thinking back to the heatwave of 2022: 

• How did you cope with the heat in London?  

  I hated that summer heat! I am usually someone who will always prefer to be warm rather than cool but that summer was actually scary, I was starting to fear not being able to breathe the air because it was that hot it actually felt like the air was devolved of oxygen or something! It felt like there was nowhere safe to go or if there was it was getting there that presented a problem! I have no air con in my home, I can't afford air con and it's not helped by having windows covering all (top to bottom) or two of my external walls, the property was built in the '60s and is listed so can't be altered. I was seriously scared about fire risks, and too scared to go out. 

• What helped you stay cool at home or while you were out and about? 

Sprayed water, fans, ice poles pre-frozen in preparation, sleeping pills for night and moving very slowly only after 4pm if I had to go out, cancelling my day otherwise at great expense to myself. I was no good to anyone in that heat. 

• What made it better, and what made it worse?  

  It was worse not having aircon but I just don't have that sort of money, the most I could do is use my £15 fan and pour water on my chest, back and ankles to keep cold. 

Thinking of this summer:  

• What, if anything, are you doing differently to cope with the heat in London?

  It's not (yet) as hot as it was in '22. I don't know how I will cope if it gets that hot, I still don't have the money for any upgrades on a basic 25 year old electrical fan and water. I have a few long standing health conditions aside from the regular concerns so I do worry, but I don't think I can do anything more than I am doing. 

• What, if anything, does London need to help you cope with the heat? 

  Not run tubes if you know you can't keep the heat down. Allow people cool safe spaces and transport to get to them if they have not got their own cool spaces or transport to escape the heat. Health advice for dehydration.

I don't remember what we did in 22. Generally we follow the advice on keeping windows and curtains closed when it's hotter out than in. I use an umbrella a as a parasol. Drink plenty of water. Wear a hat outside. 

More trees would be good for lots of reasons. 

Also many more water fountains in the street. Big bottles of water are very heavy to carry and repeatedly buying small plastic bottles of water is bad in lots of ways (I am sure you know).

More cool environments where people could go (like the warm hubs in winter)

Perhaps more deliveries of food etc for vulnerable people but without the starting price being more than what many can afford.

Houses being built with heat as well as cold in mind.

And everyone to be encouraged to follow a predominantly plant-based diet as that contributes less to Climate Change.
 

Plant more trees, pedestrianise streets to discourage driving and encourage walking, cycling and wheeling. All new builds need better insulation against hot summers. Water usage needs to be brought to people’s attention - non watered public spaces with planting that is less reliant on water abundance. 

We need more flexibility in conservation areas. So many great ideas, but the overwhelming majority would not be possible if you live in a conservation area. And given that London has so many conservation areas, 14% of London homes, it feels wrong to leave all these homes out of planning. 

To start with, yes the climate is changing, it has done so for as long as this planet exist.

This summer, 2025, is warmer, but by no means, extreme. The past two summers have been on the cool and wet side , in my memory. Most people have enough common sense and the older generations, enough live experience, that they know how to cope with the warmer days and the few scorchers. The next cool down is always on the way.

I very much resent the fear mongering and panicked heather reports that that do not reflect the real weather. We need information not hyped emotion! 

Governments should provide proper , well functioning infrastructures and leave it to the individual to live as they see fit.

Please do not waste public money on useless project and meaningless political actionism.

Subject: Heat Resilience Ideas for London

The 2022 heatwave (40°C+) exposed critical gaps. As a top-floor flat resident:

What helped:
• Strategic ventilation (open windows overnight/closed daytime) + blackout curtains
• Public cool spaces (libraries/museums) and shaded parks
• Personal cooling: portable fans, hydration packs, cooling towels

What worsened it:
• Tube lines without AC (Central/Bakerloo) hit >45°C
• Minimal shade at bus stops/pavements
• Poorly insulated housing (elderly neighbours suffered)

My 2025 adaptations:
• Installed reflective window film
• Using heat apps to plan shaded walks
• Community WhatsApp group for vulnerable neighbours

London needs:

1. Urgent infrastructure:
   • Mandate AC in all public transport + cooling centers in libraries
   • Accelerate tree planting in "heat islands" (e.g., Stratford, Old Street)
2. Protect vulnerable groups:
   • Retrofit social housing with insulation
   • Free water stations + real-time heat alerts via SMS
3. Long-term fixes:
   • Cool pavements/roofs in new builds
   • Shade sails at transport hubs

Final plea: Prioritize equity—marginalized communities face the highest risks. Integrate these solutions into the Heat Risk Delivery Plan. Thanks to Eleanor, Annette, and the Climate Adaptation team for this vital initiative.

We have absorbed the idea that you should keep windows shut in the day although it took a while to get used to it and I still find it hard to convince people. Feel like that message needs more Comms. 

I'm fortunate enough to work in an office with air con so I am tempted to go in but it feels a toss up because going back on the tube at rush hour (which i need to do to pick up my kid) is so horrible. Anything that can cool both stations and trains would be great. Or maybe increase frequency so they are not so crowded?

London is not really equipped to handle extreme weather — whether it’s heatwaves in summer or cold snaps in winter. Much of it begins with the way buildings are designed and constructed. Many homes, especially older ones, are poorly insulated for keeping heat out in summer (and keeping warmth in during winter).

Personally, I’m quite fortunate to live on the ground floor, so the temperature was slightly lower than on the upper floors of our building. To cope, I kept the blinds down all day, but couldn’t open the windows much because it was so humid outside — there was no breeze to help. I stayed hydrated, avoided going out unless absolutely necessary, and stayed in shaded areas as much as possible.

Having trees around made a big difference — the shaded streets and local parks were a huge relief. However, the lack of accessible public water fountains was an issue. Also, commuting on the Underground during a heatwave was one of the worst parts — it felt stifling, crowded, and completely unventilated.

I think London urgently needs to adapt buildings for extreme weather — better insulation, ventilation, and shading should be priorities. More green spaces and trees also help significantly, but the city should also invest in additional public drinking water points and shaded rest areas. Improving ventilation on public transport, especially the Underground, is critical — it really becomes unbearable during heatwaves.

Can't remember much of the heatwave in 2022 as the hotter weather slows down not just my body but also my thinking. Another "fun" side-effect of having Multiple Sclerosis. There are some people with MS who thrive on the hotter weather but most of us don't. 2022 was also when me and my husband were finally totally cleared to safely venture out with no restrictions - we are both immunocompromised - and we rather quickly caught Covid as most people by then thought it was OK to go out and about even if they weren't well. Sat on a busy train, full of people sniffling, coughing and choking on their pleghm and we had the extra fun of being too hot and sick.
I don't really have any good ways of dealing with the heat, I wrap a cold wet towel around my head and fill up my hot water bottles which I then put in the freezer so I'll have something to cool down my bed. I wish there were some places to go for just cooling down rather than me loitering by the freezers in my local shops. Planting more trees, less car traffic and definetly less planes goes without saying.

It's summer.  It gets warm.  The weather varies from year to year.  Enjoy it. Hot weather is nothing to worry about as long as you take care and you are not particularly vulnerable.  Yes, do try to make people more comfortable but please avoid all this alarmism.