We have just experienced the hottest spring in England and Wales since records began, and summer is already shaping up to be very warm, with a heatwave underway in parts of the UK. In hot weather, which is now more consistent due to global climate change, homes should feel like a safe haven of coolness, rather than a sauna.
Dr Ben Roberts, senior lecturer in healthy buildings at Loughborough University, has spent his academic career researching ways to ensure buildings are safe, healthy and comfortable, and his PhD specifically focused on how to prevent overheating in our homes without the use of air conditioning.
“While we are having more frequent, long and intense heatwaves, our houses haven’t really changed to reflect that in a long time,” he says. “They are not really designed with this warming climate in mind, but rather with retaining heat in winter. This isn’t totally a bad thing, as insulation also stops some heat from going through, and there are things we can do to work alongside it.”
There are several common mistakes people make when trying to keep their homes cool, says Dr Roberts, and better ways to tackle them…
Keep your curtains closed (Photo: Mireya Acierto/Getty/Photodisc)
