London’s risk from rising temperatures

I was walking around Woolwich alongside the Thames the other day on a very hot day but we had to give up because of lack of shade.  We should aim for all public spaces / walkways to have enough trees, which would not only give shade but help absorb CO2

I have a short commute on a modern bus (242 route) but the air conditioning doesn't exist or can't cope.  I understand some tube routes can't be cooled by AC because the heat can't be vented for the tunnel, but surely we should aim for it on new buses, like we do on new trains.

Is it possible for new build houses to include aircon but powered by solar panels rather than contributing to greehouse gases?

While the population suffers the consequences of extreme heat, scientists are in the lab spending taxpayers' money developing gadgets to control the time.

China has already raised the second atomic sun, and we here discussing what to do about the high temperatures, let's all watch the movie The Truman Show and we will remember that all of this is nothing more than crowd control and a poor investment of public money.

What does China have to do with London? Action and reaction, simple basic physics.

And if the authorities want and when they want, the temperatures will change in favor of the population and they will stop blaming the population.

Let's open our minds.

I don't mean to be relentlessly negative but the issue here is housing, housing, housing. London's homes are not suitable for extreme heat. I think we are blocked from making progress here by the scourge of amateur landlords (who don't have the interest or economies of scale to make improvements) and by the leasehold system (who is responsible for the roof insulation in our subdivided terrace? Who can authorise installation of a heat pump?).

We need more trees and water coolers.  Public transport needs air con

A lot of purpose-built flats don't allow leaseholders to make alterations to their properties that would help residents cope with the heat (e.g. fixed AC units, awnings, external shutters).

These flats are also often poorly designed to deal with extreme heat (for example floor to celing windows with no heat rejection features that create a greenhouse effect when in direct sunlight). They will soon become unlivable in the summer if climate change continues to bring us hotter summers.

The Heat Risk Delivery Plan should require the property management companies of these types of flats to future-proof their existing properties for extreme heat.

Also planting more trees along the roads to provide a canopy is a win-win (good for the environment, makes an area look nicer compared to just drab grey streets and buildings and will provide shade from heat)

I am really surprised that the point around air conditioning isn’t being addressed. There is going to be more demand for AC going forward. Combined with the electrification of heating, London should be leading the conversation on installing air-to-air heatpumps across cities (over 80% of heat pumps installed in Norway are air-to-air, not air-to-water), which can tackle both heating and cooling needs. Planning support, financial subsidies, awareness campaigns… This feels like such a timely and big opportunity. 

London and other cities have contributed to the crisis by constructing far too many tall towers - most of which are badly designed and constructed - without considering the consequences. As the US has discovered tall buildings lock in heat by blocking winds from cooling areas down. Where I live it has just become a massive concrete jungle and there is a noticeable increase in temperature because of it. None of the properties even have any air conditioning. It must be hell for those on the upper floors.

It has been shown too that super tall towers represent seventy per cent of carbon emissions. Some cities in the US have started to create gardens in the sky which offers natural cooling and improved air quality. However, I cannot see any of the developers or councils profiting from the never-ending building game considering such innovation, let alone the long-term implications of their plans. 

Sooner or later the water and sewage systems in London will not be able to cope with the extra numbers and then we really will have a crisis. 

Say NO to more development. 

The most simple and widely-used cooling methods known as air conditioners and fans are somehow not included in the survey. They are invaluable in most tropical countries that can afford them. People overheating outside can just walk into a business to cooldown and maybe spend some money there, too. I know you are big on environmental protection but letting people suffer over that just isn't it. There should be financial incentives for public spaces and homes to install and use A/Cs to get them up-and-running before the summers get unbearable.

we tried putting foil on our windows but it felt like a waste of money as it fell off or blew away, so we invested in reflective blinds for windows that get direct sun, mostly suction blinds that we can remove but some fitted and while it makes a difference, it's the double glazing we put in that made the most difference. insulation is really hard in a brick terrace, we need grants and funding and sustained investment to provide better insulation in the many London homes that were not designed to cope with the temperatures climate change is bringing.

I would love there to be a maximum work temperature. There are people doing construction in non temp managed buildings, carrying heavy loads and working with machinery. It seems like 35 is well above a safe operating temperature with no official rules regarding water breaks or provision of fans etc. Never mind the hot commutes. 

2022 kept shutters closed in all rooms of my flat (I saved up to buy them as an investment to keep cool in the heat & also to keep warm in the cold! Prior to that I had blinds which I kept closed). Kept window & door open when at home to allow 'cool' air to circulate; allowed extra time for travelling - with either water bottle or flannel to hand!).  [Unfortunately think it's too unsafe to keep windows open at night or when I'm not at home.]

2025 (and years in between!) as above but my travel plans focus more on proposed time of travel & what's the best option e.g. I avoid bus journeys between 12-3pm  as traffic is so bad that journeys take much longer and you feel as if your sitting in a cooking pot (& there's only so much water you can drink!).

But use your common sense: Wear a sun hat & take cool drink with you if travelling in hot weather (& wrap up in winter!)

More trees / planting to provide shade; less areas being tarmacked over; building regs to ensure all new builds to be suitable for hot/cold climates and any existing buildings being 'renovated' to have the same conditions - both private landlords/owners & big building  corps/organisations. 

We can certainly plant more mature trees, install benches in shaded areas, and offer public drinking fountains. These are achievable goals. 

Look at how Paris has changed in 5 years, a similar challenging & iconic urban environment. Tree planting and greening areas & walls, SUDs helping in storms, all helping cooling/shading plus improving air quality and neighbourhoods. The tools and solutions are understood and well documented. The key is to also ensure it is focused where its needed or will give most benefits - those with least green spaces and high number of residents needs priority over central tourist hotspots

ban councils from pollarding trees so late in the season. Locally they  have been cutting the mature trees right into early June. We don't have any Tree canopy now, just lollipops. Poor birds and insects.

New flats built  with only single aspect windows. Must be absolutely ghastly.

New developments which have heavily hard landscaped outside space and the odd small tree should be prohibited.