Anonymous                            HRSC0008

Anonymous written evidence

The Committee invites written submissions addressing any or all of the issues raised in the following terms of reference, by 17:00 on Thursday 17 August 2023.

• What evidence exists on the relationship between heat and human health (mortality and morbidity), and which communities are worst affected?
• MHCGL – Research into overheating in new homes – Phase 1 and Phae 2 looked into the effect of overheating for vulnerable people. See following statement:
   
• Although the uk is not used to high temperatures, due to climate change the weather is forecasted to be similar to Marseille. In 2003’s heatwave thousands ‘About 15,000 people died due to the heat in France, which led to a shortage of space to store dead bodies in mortuaries. Temporary mortuaries were set up in refrigeration lorries. There were also heat-related deaths in the UK (2,000), Portugal (2,100), Italy (3,100), Holland (1,500) and Germany (300).’
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• How can sustainable cooling solutions and adaptation strategies be implemented in such a way as to minimise overheating, reduce energy consumption and prevent overloading of the electricity grid during peak demand?
• The primary focus should be on passive design including night ventilation and thermal mass.
• Smart shading solutions, can be controlled for different climates/seasons
• Chilled slabs, passive method, some limitations, low energy method
• we should get inspiration from vernacular/traditional built
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• What actions can be taken to protect those most vulnerable to the impacts of extreme heat?
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• To what extent do the Government’s Climate Change Risk Assessment and National Adaptation Programme (as well as other related strategies such as the Net Zero Strategy and Heat and Buildings Strategy) identify and address the risks from extreme heat? (Note: The third NAP, covering the five-year period from 2023-2028, is expected to be published in the summer of 2023)
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• Does the current planning framework do enough to encourage heat resilience measures such as cooling shelters, water bodies, green infrastructure and shading to be integrated into urban planning? Where such measures are incorporated, how accessible and successful are they?
• Not enough – planning focus on external appearance over shading strategies, it does not promote any external shading, in fact in some cases planning discourages the use of external shading.
• Small areas of green are not enough to reduce the temperatures in the microclimate of cites. Major restructuring and planning changes need to take place. Residential areas to have larger green spaces/parks and not build in sites that due to noise and pollution cannot open windows for natural ventilation. Government to re-evaluate where developments should be built, ie residential near greener spaces (not concrete spaces with a bit of landscaping) and not allow residential developments where there are high  acoustic/noise or pollution levels
• Green roofs compulsory on every development
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• What can be done to protect the UK’s existing public and private sector housing stock from the impacts of extreme heat while ensuring that homes are sufficiently warm in the winter months?
• External shading
• Green infrastructure
• We should look at vernacular/traditional built
• What role might reversible heat pumps (which can act as both heating and cooling systems) and other emerging technological solutions, such as the development of smart materials, play in meeting future cooling demands?
• Cooling materials used for infrastructure, to reduce absorption and help toward the heat island effect
• Reflective paints – light colours
• The use of dynamic glass and clever fabric
• How can cleaner refrigerants with low or zero global warming potentials support the UK’s cooling needs while contributing to the national emission reduction targets?
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• Does the Government’s Future Homes Standard adequately consider overheating in homes? If not, what additional elements should it include?
• More focus on building passive measures
• How effectively is the Government working across departments and with local authorities to ensure a coordinated approach is taken to heat resilience?
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• Does the UK need a dedicated Heat Resilience Strategy? What lessons can be learned from other nations when it comes to national strategies for heat resilience?
• Lessons learnt from C40,  https://www.c40reinventingcities.org/
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August 2023