Heatwaves are here – protect yourself and your community
As heatwaves become more frequent, it’s increasingly important to have measures in place to help our community stay cool and comfortable, particularly the vulnerable. There are lots of ways to do this.
Check out Heatwave Toolkit for highly-effective, low-effort, low-cost, and rapidly-deployable solutions to keep homes cool during a UK heatwave. Lots of these measures are also landlord-friendly.
Increasing shade by planting trees and shrubs is one of the best solutions and is something we can do at home, at work and within our community spaces.
Heatproof your home, business or organisation by using natural ventilation, installing shutters and improving insulation. Even a temporary fix like taping cardboard to the outside of your windows during a heat emergency can make a big difference to indoor temperatures.
Reduce heat-absorbing surfaces in your outdoor space. Limiting concreted areas or even just pulling up a paving slab or two and allowing nature to grow can make a big difference. Installing a pond can also help keep the temperature lower, cooling the surrounding air through evaporation.
Take a deeper dive with Shade The UK’s Overheating Adaptation Guide for Homes, looking into the range of measures residents of flats and houses – both owners and renters – can take to mitigate overheating.
Local organisations, particularly those with large capacity and air conditioning such as schools and sports centres, can offer cold water and cool spaces during hot weather. Look how they are doing it in London.
