London’s risk from rising temperatures

Huge number of badly designed flats being put up which in themselves create heat problems (absorbing heat during day), no shutters or awnings (possibly not allowed) and lack of green space around flats to absorb heat. So temperatures are going up and the tower blocks are glass hot boxes, heating up all day. We have to use blackout blinds but the heat is terrible, causing misery and affecting the vulnerable - many of whom grew up in a much cooler London.

Building regs need strengthening, orientation of new builds should avoid direct sunlight, reflective surfaces can help avoid heat storage. Need concerted effort to plant and manage more shade trees. Need shaded bus shelters, better ventilation or cooling on buses and tubes and trains. Misting stations could help in central London.

Living with heat in London is difficult at the best of times but post partum with a small baby having to get buses to baby appointments which take multiple buses and having to stand with the buggy when you feel extra dehydrated from breastfeeding because there is nowhere to sit on some buses with the buggy. I've felt sick, dizzy and worried for mine and my babies safety. 

Some buses have air con but everyone opens the windows so all the cold air leaves the bus anyway. On these hot days regulating the service and leaving us all dripping in sweat isn't acceptable. Shade at bus stops needs to be an essential. 

There are many vulnerable people in society, I felt extra vulnerable for a period when pregnant and having had my baby but some people that is every summer, every year. 

I think some sort of air conditioning n buses/public transport is crucial as the extreme heat inside a bus us dangerous to all, including driver. Our buses are not equipped for the heat and they MUST be updated to cope. Global warming will  make summers hotter.  

More free water points. Air con on all trains/buses and tubes. Designated cool areas for those who are homeless etc. more green spaces with shade. Subsidised sun cream for young and vulnerable. 

Very little that had been positive. Perhaps keeping blinds closed during the day helps, especially if out and about. 
Perhaps more homes should have shutters and keep outof the midday sun, if possible. Climate change will mean we have to adopt almost Mediterranean lifestyles.

Free water fountains for refilling bottles should have wider availability and should most definitely be available in underground, overground, dlr and rail stations. WiFi should be free in London like in other cities for people who need help. 

There needs to be a legal limit set and enforced for the maximum (and minimum) temperature for a place of work, education setting, healthcare settings and public buildings. It is inhumane to expect people to work/learn etc in extreme temperatures.

There needs to be more shade enforced by Planning for both residential and commercial areas, including a strong emphasis on natural shade creation (eg tree planting on streets). This also needs to be brought in retrospectively and not just on new applications. The return to having small green spaces (“greens”) with shade-giving trees and bushes in residential areas.

And a return to free drinking water “refill stations” in public areas and enforce that any establishment which serves drinks to the public must give free water to anyone who asks, not just paying customers.

Our local green spaces and especially trees, helped make the heat tolerable,  then and now!

Like many of us, I live in a flat and have no garden. During heatwaves I would really like access to a nearby garden not too far to walk in the heat ie I wld like access to the garden that’s attached to our house - annoyingly it’s a 4-flat house but only 2 flats have access to the garden 

This summer we are doing the same in terms of keeping the house cool.

London needs to deal provide more street shading, retrofitting shades to public buildings particularly schools and hospitals, more public drinking water access, cooling public transport. Identify vulnerable populations in housing that overheats easily.

2022 was very difficult with two children under ten at home. We are lucky that our home has a shady garden and we are able to open doors and windows on both sides and get a breeze through. We tried to keep the house cool with curtains, put ice packs in freezer and opened windows late at night. We limited outdoor activity for the children and consumed cold food and drinks.

Worst though was being at work in a school. It was nigh on impossible to function properly in rooms that were in the high 30s. The school buildings were not designed to cope with temperatures being experienced. It was hard to work and for the children to concentrate. We had to cancel outdoor activities because it was not safe to carry on in the high temperatures.

I helped my elderly neighbour by getting food for her so she didn't have to go out in the heat.

I go into survival mode during the heat waves attempting to manage the internal heat and therefore my well being. Most other things are put on hold. It seems wrong that our properties appear to have so many issues and limitations. We must only build properties that will be able to mitigate against extreme heat without reliance on air conditioning and adding to the heat island effect.
 

Incentives for freeholders to make flats heatproof, eg installation of shutters and sun sails to protect balconies. 

Incentives for freeholders to install charge points for electric cars.

Incentives for freeholders to maintain adaequate green spaces / trees. 

Future housing blocks architecture to account for heatwaves, in regards of window size / cover, shutters, air circulation, insulation, outside spaces and shades, solar power, green spaces.

It's only a few weeks each year so I am not even thinking about air conditioning although a few neighbours have had it installed. We should do what many warm countries do and use fans. I recently stayed in a rental with a tower fan and it was very effective so I plan to get one. Maybe councils could make fans available to low income people.

A ceiling fan like they have in many American homes is also very effective especially at night. Maybe they will catch on here.

It is also encouraging me to think about solar panels again.

Keep drinks in the fridge and ice cubes in the freezer.

Wear sensible clothing for the weather.

Plant trees whenever you can.

Take a drink on the the underground.

Check on elderly neighbours. 

Sadiq needs to do more to tackle climate change and that means big changes in behaviour such as less car use and night time deliveries to take vans and lorries off the road during the day. In Paris SUVs have been banned from the centre. London should do the same. Sadiq should take 100 000 cars off the roads of London to encourage walking and wheeling and make the roads safer and increase use of public transport.

Its 28 degrees in my flat right now. 

We need to think about long term sustainable measures that will protect wildlife and biodiversity aswell as vulnerable humans. If we humans keep invading wildlife habitats when we get too warm, the knock on effect of biodiversity loss will impact our ability to survive too. We must protect nature in order to protect ourselves. We are all nature.

We need to think about large scale redesign and future proofing, not sticking plasters like black out blinds. 

I live in a two bed flat with floor to ceiling windows in the lounge and a balcony. I close blinds and curtains on all of my windows and keep windows closed during the day and night. I have a portable air conditioner in the lounge which keeps the temp at 24 degrees C and a silent fan in the bedroom which keeps me cool at night. Only sheets on the bed no blankets.