England's new buildings risk fatal overheating despite climate rules
Planning experts warn that inadequate cooling rules in English building standards are creating properties that will become economically and physically unviable as heatwaves intensify.
English planning authorities are failing to require adequate cooling and ventilation in new buildings. As a result, the country risks constructing a generation of properties that will fatally overheat during increasingly severe heatwaves.
Research from the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) and the Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) found that only about half of local council plans mandate a cooling strategy for new developments. For the construction sector and future homeowners, this represents a looming financial liability. Properties built today without climate safeguards may require expensive retrofitting or become uninsurable and unlivable within decades.
The physical toll is already evident. An estimated 2,700 people died during the May and June heatwaves in England and Wales. “This is a matter of life and death,” said Celia Davis, interim director of operations at the TCPA. “We need to avoid building death traps.”
While 99% of local plans mention green infrastructure like trees or waterways, only 27% use a "green space factor"—a recognized tool to guarantee these cooling features are actually delivered. “There is a gap between what they say they want and what they achieve,” Davis said.
The government’s "future homes standard," taking effect in 2028, aims to keep houses cooler in summer. However, it excludes schools, hospitals, and care homes, and stops short of requiring physical heat blockers like louvres and shutters. “The future homes standard is not enough because you also have to consider the surrounding area,” said Dan Slade, head of research and practice at the RTPI. “If there are not enough trees or shading or green space, that will affect the heat these homes experience.”
A significant regulatory loophole further threatens real estate values. "Permitted development rights" allow offices to be converted into homes without standard overheating regulations. London alone has roughly 120,000 such conversions, with 14% lacking windows that can be opened. “Many of these are glass boxes that can easily overheat,” Slade warned.
The infrastructure deficit is stark. A Woodland Trust report found England has one of the lowest tree canopy levels in Europe at 17.5%, leaving over 11 million UK residents in areas with less than 10% tree shade. Low-income areas are disproportionately affected.
A government spokesperson stated that national regulations and planning policy mean all newly built homes and their surroundings "must minimise unwanted heat, regardless of local plans – the future homes standard is designed to address energy efficiency." The spokesperson added that the government is reviewing building regulations to assess whether it "can apply overheating rules to homes converted from commercial buildings."
