Nearly 10,000 care homes are located in parts of England facing extreme levels of heat, increasing the chances of heat-related deaths. Research carried out by Friends of the Earth has identified 9,589 care homes, 1,012 hospitals, and 10,064 nurseries in high heat zones.

Heatwaves are becoming more frequent and more extreme as climate change gathers pace. Government advisors have predicted that heat-related deaths could rise to over 10,000 a year by 2050 – a horrifying statistic.

Some people are affected more severely by extreme heat conditions, including older people, young children, people with health issues and hospital patients.

Friends of the Earth is calling for the Government to prioritise care homes, hospitals and nurseries and to tackle the issue with a series of new policies:

-        A new national adaptation plan to protect people from heat and other extreme weather events

-        £1 billion per year for upgrades to cool buildings prioritised

-        Better insulation and ventilation in care homes

-        Public ‘cool spaces’ such as libraries and community centres, open during heatwaves.

According to the new research, West Worthing is the constituency which has the most care homes in high heat neighbourhoods, and Birmingham is the council area with most high heat neighbourhoods.

With a well co-ordinated, considered approach to overheating in the early stages of design, we can all, as design team members, contribute to mitigating this issue and without having to shoulder the burden of excessive mechanical cooling.

Read more about mitigating overheating and designing for comfort here.