The UK’s buildings are not fit for the future, and the risks to human health are mounting. That’s the warning from a new report by the UK Green Building Council (UKGBC), which urges action to make offices, schools, homes, schools, and care facilities more resilient to extreme weather.
Published today, the UK Climate Resilience Roadmap outlines the need for sweeping changes to how the built environment is planned, retrofitted, and maintained.
Climate risks are a public health issue
According to the report, millions of UK buildings, including schools, offices, and care homes, are set to experience prolonged periods of heat. The modelling suggests:
- Schools in London and the South East could face 10 weeks of temperatures over 28°C annually, threatening concentration, comfort and learning outcomes.
- Care homes, housing some of the UK’s most vulnerable residents, could experience 4 weeks per year above this threshold.
- Modern office buildings — with their lightweight designs and high glass-to-wall ratios — are more prone to overheating than older stock, posing risks to worker wellbeing and productivity.
Flooding and storm damage are also rising on the list of health and infrastructure threats. The report warns that entire communities, such as Peterborough and Fairbourne, could be rendered uninhabitable by the end of the century without major adaptive measures.
A blueprint for healthier, climate-safe buildings
The roadmap sets out practical adaptation strategies to reduce health and safety risks, including passive cooling measures like solar shading and ventilation, rather than defaulting to air conditioning, which increases carbon emissions.
Other recommendations include:
- Declaring climate resilience a national emergency
- Appointing a Cabinet-level Minister for Resilience
- Mandating climate-safe standards in planning and building regulation
- Launching a comprehensive retrofit strategy to protect homes and public buildings
- Investing in nature-based infrastructure, including trees, parks, and water features, which support physical and mental wellbeing while reducing urban heat
Simon McWhirter, Chief Executive at UKGBC, said:
“The UK is not ready for the extreme weather events of today — let alone the hotter, wetter, and wilder future that’s coming. Our homes, schools, and offices must protect and support us, not put our health and wellbeing at greater risk.”
The roadmap draws inspiration from UKGBC’s Whole Life Carbon Roadmap and calls for similar collaboration across industry and government to ensure buildings are futureproofed. This includes for safety, comfort, and health as well as carbon.
Content Team
Work in Mind is a content platform designed to give a voice to thinkers, businesses, journalists and regulatory bodies in the field of healthy buildings.
