Call for UK national cooling strategy as temperatures soar

The UK Government is being urged to introduce a national cooling action plan to help the built environment adapt to rising temperatures while limiting the environmental impact of increased air conditioning use.

A new report from environmental campaigning organisation the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) warns that the UK's current approach to cooling risks leaving homes, workplaces and public buildings increasingly vulnerable to overheating as heatwaves become more frequent and intense.

The report argues that, without a coordinated national strategy, demand for air conditioning is likely to rise rapidly, increasing electricity consumption, greenhouse gas emissions and pressure on the energy system while creating what it describes as a new form of "cooling poverty" for households unable to afford active cooling.

Instead, the EIA is calling for a comprehensive cooling strategy that places greater emphasis on passive building design, urban greening and nature-based solutions to reduce overheating before mechanical cooling becomes necessary.

The organisation says the UK has a significant opportunity to align climate adaptation with net zero objectives by embedding cooling measures into building design, planning policy and retrofit programmes.

According to the report, overheating is becoming an increasingly significant challenge for homes, offices and public buildings as the UK continues to experience more frequent periods of extreme heat.

While active cooling will remain necessary in some buildings, the EIA argues that greater use should be made of passive measures such as shading, natural ventilation and green infrastructure, alongside wider adoption of natural refrigerants where air conditioning is required.

The report also highlights concerns that most conventional air conditioning systems continue to rely on hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), refrigerants that the UK is seeking to phase down under existing F-gas regulations.

The EIA says current policy falls short of commitments made under the Global Cooling Pledge and argues that the Government's proposed cooling outlook document should be expanded into a comprehensive National Cooling Action Plan.

Among its recommendations are mandatory passive cooling measures in new developments, accelerated retrofit programmes for existing buildings, greater use of urban greening, faster phase-out of HFC refrigerants, workforce training in low-carbon cooling technologies and improved public awareness of heat-related health risks.

Clare Perry, Climate Campaign Leader at the EIA, said the UK risked "sleepwalking into a cooling crisis", warning that greater reliance on conventional air conditioning would fail to address the underlying causes of overheating while increasing long-term emissions.

For the property and construction sectors, the report highlights the growing importance of designing buildings that are resilient to higher temperatures. As climate adaptation moves higher up the policy agenda, developers, landlords and building owners are likely to face increasing scrutiny over how new and existing buildings manage overheating, energy efficiency and occupant wellbeing.