British summertime used to be a bit of an oxymoron, with the “warmer” months often proving to be a bit of a washout. But in recent years, with the UK breaking the 40°C barrier, our mild summers are a thing of the past.
As we saw in May, the UK will be more prone to “heat spikes”; temperatures that shoot up in just a few days. Historically, it has been more common to see a gradual increase of a degree or two each day, suggesting that intolerable heat may appear with little time to acclimatise or prepare.
Emma Pinchbeck, chief executive of the Climate Change Committee, speaking on Radio 4’s Today programme last week, said if British homes are to be fit for purpose, they must become cooler. She predicted that, with rising temperatures, 92 per cent of homes are likely to overheat by 2050. “Britain,” said Pinchbeck, “is not used to being a hot country.”
Shorts
With summer temperatures becoming more extreme, Brits are looking for ways to stay comfortable at home without major renovations. So, how do you prepare your home for future heat spikes? We spoke to home and energy experts to get the low-down.
