How Britain can beat the heat without becoming addicted to air conditioning

clock • 4 min read
Credit: iStock
Image:

Credit: iStock

The UK faces a choice - lock into energy-hungry cooling, or redesign homes, streets and routines to stay cool naturally - writes University of East London research fellow Mehri Khosravi

With heatwaves becoming hotter and more frequent, demand for air conditioning is expected to rise significantly. However, if the UK and similar countries respond to hotter summers simply by installing...

To continue reading this article...

Join BusinessGreen

In just a few clicks you can start your free BusinessGreen Lite membership for 12 months, providing you access to:

  • Three complimentary articles per month covering the latest real-time news, analysis, and opinion from Europe’s leading source of information on the Green economy and business
  • Receive important and breaking news stories via our daily news alert
  • Our weekly newsletter with the best of the week’s green business news and analysis

Join now

 

Already a BusinessGreen member?

Login

More on Buildings

Prime Minister urged to tap sustainable timber industry to tackle housing crisis
Buildings

Prime Minister urged to tap sustainable timber industry to tackle housing crisis

Foresight Group's Richard Kelly writes to Andy Burnham to make the case for the rapid expansion of the home-grown, sustainable timber industry

Amber Rolt
clock 24 July 2026 • 3 min read
Where does Andy Burnham stand on retrofit and net zero?
Buildings

Where does Andy Burnham stand on retrofit and net zero?

As the new Prime Minister settles into Number 10, Elmhurst Energy's managing director Stuart Fairlie looks at his record in Greater Manchester and explores what it could mean for the UK's retrofit journey

Stuart Fairlie, Elmhurst Energy
clock 23 July 2026 • 4 min read
Santander UK debuts loan offer for Octopus Energy's Zero Bills homes
Buildings

Santander UK debuts loan offer for Octopus Energy's Zero Bills homes

Santander UK becomes first bank to update mortgage affordability assessment to recognise the financial benefits associated with homes on 'Zero Bills' tariffs, allowing owners to borrow up to £30,000 more

Amber Rolt
clock 23 July 2026 • 4 min read