How this 1960s ex-council house is managing to stay cool without air con
An architect in London has successfully retrofitted a 1960s ex-council house to maintain comfortable temperatures during heatwaves without air conditioning. The project utilizes Passivhaus standards, focusing on high-level insulation and airtight design.
Why it matters
As climate change increases the frequency of extreme heat, retrofitting existing housing stock is essential for energy efficiency and public health.
Image source, BBC/Kevin Church By Miho Tanaka Senior climate and science journalist Published 4 minutes ago After five heatwaves and plenty of advice on how to stay safe in what is set to become the UK's hottest summer on record, many people continue to find it a challenge to stay cool - particularly in their homes.
This is perhaps no surprise. More than half of homes , external in the UK are already at risk of overheating and at current rates of climate change this will rise to 92% by 2050 if we do not adapt.
But in south London, on a 35C day, one 1960s ex-council house, with no air-conditioning is managing to stay remarkably cool.
Marion Baeli's home is one of many across the UK being adapted for warmer - maybe even 40C - British summers.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in