Addressing overheating risk in existing UK homes

Summertime overheating in homes affects health and productivity. The UK’s record breaking temperatures in 2022 brought this into sharp focus. 

This report for the Climate Change Committee appraises the current and future risks posed by summertime overheating to the UK housing stock at scale. It explores what factors influence risk, how homes can be adapted, or upgraded, to mitigate the impacts and how much that might cost. 

Read the report to understand how exposed different parts of the UK’s existing housing stock are to overheating risk. Discover recommendations for policy makers, urban planners, building designers and end users/occupants to limit overheating risk. 

Global and UK average land temperatures have risen by around 1.2°C since the 1850-1900 period and are expected to rise further by at least 0.5°C by 2050, regardless of efforts to cut global greenhouse gases emissions. This report uses three scenarios, our current climate, 2°C warming and 4°C warming.