EDITOR’S OPINION


No avoiding a burning issue Chris Jones


Managing editor of Energy in Buildings & Industry


G


constructed to keep heat in, not out, but now it seems that we need some fresh thinking about how we design buildings to cope with extreme heat. A recent report from the


iven that 10 of the warmest years for the UK have occurred since 2006, with last year breaking records


dating back to 1659, this year’s spate of heatwaves seems entirely predictable. It makes you wonder why we didn’t all stock up on fans or look to exploit the spiralling demand for air conditioning systems when we had the chance. Rest assured, though, that there are many people making some good money out of the misery caused by rising temperatures and the resultant clamour for cooling solutions. Like a hungry man in desperate


need of food, it is understandable for people to seek the quickest and most immediate way to reduce their heat discomfort – as internet searches for various and often suspiciously cheap portable air conditioners will testify – but we do need to take a longer- term view on how best to deal with the consequences of overheating. With relatively cold winters and mild summers, our homes have been


Environmental Investigation Agency suggests that a ‘National Cooling Action Plan’ is needed to avoid the rapid expansion of air conditioning and a potential increase in electricity demand and greenhouse gas emissions (see page 6). While acknowledging that cooling should be recognised as a public health issue, the EIA argues that passive cooling and climate-resilient urban planning can do much to mitigate the problems caused by rising temperatures. The report makes the case for the more widespread adoption of urban greening, shading and nature-based cooling solutions, to reduce energy use and ensure that air conditioning


... the consequences of climate change can no longer be considered as something that future generations will have to bear


does not become the default response when temperatures rise. While many would accept that


AC is a justifiable investment in spaces housing more vulnerable residents, such as care homes and hospitals, it seems that rapid growth in the residential AC market is not something that should be altogether welcomed. Cities are more susceptible to overheating than rural areas and, as AC effectively moves heat from inside a building to the outside, there are fears that the generation of waste heat will only serve to exacerbate the discomfort of those who have to live or work in urban areas. What is clear, though, is that the


consequences of climate change can no longer be considered as something that future generations will have to bear. The regularity of wildfires across Europe and the number of excess deaths attributed to overheating (a reported 2,700 in England and Wales during the May and June heatwaves) mean that the government cannot afford to spend months and years pondering over the formulation of a cooling strategy. Temperatures will inevitably drop and the nights get shorter, but that temporary respite should not be considered an opportunity to avert attention away from what is now clearly a burning issue.


Contributors to this issue


Andrew Warren


Chair of the British Energy Efficiency Federation


10


Mark Richards Sales manager at


Beckhoff UK 11 Michael Page


Business development manager at Zehnder UK


24 Jeff House


Director of external affairs and policy for Baxi


29


David Patrick marketing at Dimplex


31 Head of specification


Energy in Buildings


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