Heat risk and adaptation in the urban built environment (ARUP)

About this document

The Climate Change Committee (CCC) commissioned ARUP to assess the risks associated with overheating in the built environment and the effectiveness of adaptation actions in reducing these risks. The analysis focused on testing the cost effectiveness of building-scale and urban-scale adaptation measures for reducing the risk of extreme heat on mortality, productivity and sleep.

This report reflects the views of ARUP and does not represent the views of the CCC.

Key messages

• The risk of overheating in buildings varies across the UK depending on average regional temperatures and types of building.
  
• Generally, larger cities and the southeast of England are at the highest risk of overheating. The risk is also higher for vulnerable groups, particularly the elderly, where there is a higher incidence of pre-existing conditions that may be exacerbated by overheating.
  
• A combination of active cooling and passive building measures was found to provide the greatest risk reduction for the lowest cost.
  

This publication is available in PDF format at the end of the page >