London’s risk from rising temperatures

As Building Regulations Part O dealing with overheating only came into force in June 2022, it is obvious that most buildings built before then will need retrofitting of passive cooling measures or the introduction of active cooling measures (e.g. aircon). Blocks of flats with windows that open inwards need external shutters. Planning permission for air conditioning to be installed en masse in blocks of flats will need to happen. Whilst planning permission is dealt with at a local council level, this will need to be coordinated across London otherwise we risk some areas falling behind in adapting to climate change.

My flat gets ridiculously hot in the summer, and things that are common in countries like Italy would help so much – shutters for the windows, canopies to create shade. Air con would be so useful too, particularly on the tube! 

Remove regulatory barriers to air conditioning. My portable AC unit was a lifesaver this summer, nothing else worked. Extreme heat deaths are much lower in the US where AC is common. AC is not bad for the planet (and is only getting cleaner) as it draws power at the times when solar panels are supplying most power to the grid.

Also why is your survey asking me if winters are wetter or how much reflective roofs would cool houses? Those are scientific questions you should answer with scientific models. The general public’s opinion is not relevant. 

The Tube is the worst part of it all — and a real health hazard. There is ample evidence showing that temperatures on many lines are rising year by year.

While I’m not a huge fan of air conditioning due to CO2 emissions, installing an appropriate cooling system on the Tube would significantly improve passenger experience. It could also encourage more people to choose public transport over driving or using Uber — options that often result in higher emissions. In the long term, this could help TfL boost ridership and revenue.

Adaptation AND mitigation. Accessible external shading products for the masses (current products are too expensive and burdensome to install - London is a city of renters, remember!) and a huge tree planting initiative. The difference in temperature in green spaces vs hard pavement zones is staggering.

I cope ok with the heat as my home is very cool and i keep curtains and windows shut in Summer.  It is winner and cold Damm weather that i find hard to cope with

Firstly I think a lot could be done to reduce street surface temperatures from more trees or fabric canopys to just reducing traffic as cars just exacerbate the heat. 

I think having misting stations around the city where people can cool down is great as well as having maps that let me know where airconditioned venues are in their area so they can stay cool. The city of Geneva has done this really well and they even offer free cinema tickets to elderly/vulnerable people in heatwaves so they can stay somewhere cool.

It was super frustrating that when it was 40C in London a few years back I just really wanted to go swimming but couldn't access anywhere as it was all fully booked. It was made all the more annoying when the Lee River is so close by but too full of raw sewage for people to be able to swim in. So long term we really need to clean up our waterways so people can actually access spaces to keep cool.

Finally as a private renter I have no control over my living space and making it better for dealing with extreme heat. I used to live in a top floor flat in a converted house where if it got hot in summer I just had to be out all day as it was too stifling indoors. I then moved somewhere with high ceilings so its much better in extreme heat but in winter it is an absolute fridge. So really landlords need to be forced to make their properties suitable for these different conditions. I would love to see landlords have to meet a minimum energy rating for all private rental properties (because a D rating in winter is awful). This would force them to adequately insulate properties so they are better for both extreme heat and extreme cold. I also think having external shutters installed would be fantastic so you can keep your house cooler (as closing your curtains is nowhere near as effective as the heated window glass makes the room warm). I also would want all properties to have double glazing as an absolute minimum.

I think one of the biggest problems in rented homes is lack of insulation and single-glazed windows. During the heatwaves, my top floor flat was regularly hotter than outdoors before the afternoon, despite keeping curtains drawn and opening all windows at night. It's a structural problem that old houses aren't getting modernised. Plus, there aren't enough public spaces with air-conditioning to cool off during the day.

To cope with the heat, I stayed at my flat during the day and avoid commuting to work as the temperatures on the tube would be very high. The best room to stay at 40C is the bathroom as it has no windows therefore the heat is more bearable. Drinking lots of fluids & take lots of cold showers. Going for a walk after sun is down was helpfull due to light wind. The flat during evening hours was unbearable. We also bought fans to help us sleep. 

The survey seemed to miss the key part of the issue - what major infrastructure should be prioritised to deal with extreme heat as it becomes a more common feature of London life. Yes there’s lots of littler things individuals can do, and government could do to support / incentivise / encourage. But the big issues are around temperature on public transport and temperature in public & private buildings. As others have said, no need to reinvent the wheel - other countries have managed high temperatures for a long time. The plan needs to have some major infrastructure and planning actions by government as the foundation, with the wider societal plan sat above it. 

Solar panel shaded areas would be a great two-way solution 

AC on the tube!! 

More public places should start installing AC, especially in trains and buses. 

I would add shadows on the streets with trees or with cotton cloth or even with crocheted clothes as used in other countries.

Also it is very important to refresh floors and buildings.

Spread the word in how to manage keeping lower temperatures at homes without air conditioning (as using shadows or creating air flow)

The population should be trained in how to  hydrate and eat during hot weather and also how to prevent risks with elders and babies.

Change shifts to all workers with physical exercise or working outside of buildings with air conditioning, so they can do their work without risking their health.

There are may countries inthe World with high  temperatures, no need to reinven  the wheel.  first we need AC on all public transport. Then we need more trees/shades and pedestrian only areas. Build  buildings  with proper outside windows blinds  like the ones in Spain and other European countries. Public swimming pools  in mayor parks.

we need a bold vision for reducing heat. One thing I observe in Spain is the planting of tree canopies in the centre of wide roads. These create shade below and pockets of green and relative cool. Valencia has embraced cycle and scooter paths - even in narrow streets - by restricting parking to one side of the road and increasing use of one way streets to reduce log jams. We need bold action in London. Its not enough to ‘tell’ people to change their transport means we must make it easiest to take alt methods.

For goodness sake just make it easier to install air conditioning. Enable people to get two way air source heat pumps. The only thing that can deal with the extreme heat is AIR CONDITIONING. It is not any worse for the environment than heating, in fact I think it's better. And certainly if you use a two way heat pump.