Mavrogianni et al. 2010 - London housing and climate change, Impact on comfort and health

Citation:
Mavrogianni, A and Davies, M and Wilkinson, P and Pathan, A (2010) LONDON HOUSING AND CLIMATE CHANGE: Impact on Comfort and Health - Preliminary Results of a Summer Overheating Study. OPEN HOUSE INT , 35 (2) 49 - 59

http://www.openhouse-int.com/abdisplay.php?xvolno=35_2_6

Abstract:

Climate change presents potential increased threats to the comfort and health of urban populations as a result of higher summer temperatures. This paper reviews recent research on the climate change adaptation potential of urban environments and focuses on a major conurbation, London. Recent work relating to the impact of exposure to heat on population health is also noted. Data obtained from a pilot monitoring study carried out in a subset of 36 dwellings (from a total of 110 dwellings in the overall study) across London during the summer of 2009 is then discussed. Preliminary results illustrate the need to quantify the net impacts of individual building characteristics and the location of each dwelling within the London heat island. During a hot period, more than 40% of the monitored bedrooms failed the recommended overheating criteria during the night time. There was some indication of purpose built flats being more prone to overheating. The potential use of such data as the basis of a heat-related health risk epidemiological model for London is discussed. Such a tool would help health policy makers to target the most vul-nerable building types and areas.

Quotations:
" The risk of over-
heating is a function of a) the location of a building
within the urban heat island, b) the microclimatic
characteristics of the specific site and c) the thermal
quality of the individual dwelling (e.g. insulation lev-
els, heat loss parameter, glazing ratio, orientation,
ventilation regimes etc.)."

"There is clear scientific and political consensus that
anthropogenic global warming is the greatest chal-
lenge facing humankind (IPCC, 2007). According
to current predictions, the frequency and severity of
extreme weather events such as heat waves,
droughts and floods will increase in the future.
Despite the fact that developing countries are
expected to be harder hit by climate change effects
(The World Bank, 2009), industrialized countries
are also projected to experience the detrimental
effects of changing weather patterns. For instance,
European populations currently living in temperate
climates are expected to suffer from an increase in
heat wave occurrence and severity (Meehl &
Tebaldi, 2004);"

Response/Relevance: