{"id":477254,"date":"2026-04-13T15:39:06","date_gmt":"2026-04-13T14:39:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/?p=477254"},"modified":"2026-04-13T15:39:09","modified_gmt":"2026-04-13T14:39:09","slug":"london-has-become-an-urban-heat-island-and-the-cost-to-fix-it-is-eyewatering","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/area\/london\/london-has-become-an-urban-heat-island-and-the-cost-to-fix-it-is-eyewatering\/","title":{"rendered":"London has become an &#8216;urban heat island&#8217; and the cost to fix it is eyewatering"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>London\u2019s lack of preparedness for extreme heat could see more than \u00a3200 million lost in productivity annually by 2030, new research has suggested.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The capital\u2019s decision to deprioritise the installation of air conditioning (AC) in both commercial and residential buildings means it is particularly vulnerable as temperatures continue to rise.<\/p><script type=\"text\/plain\" data-tcf=\"waiting-for-consent\" data-id=\"69959\" data-bid=\"1\" data-placement=\"448384\" data-no-track=\"impressions\">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<\/script>\n\n\n\n<p>Researchers from Climate X, a risk analytics firm, have now said that upgrading high-priority buildings around London could carry a \u00a3440 million price tag.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Research seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) suggests that \u00a3458.5million needs to be spent on adaptation measures in total across the city.<\/p><script type=\"text\/plain\" data-tcf=\"waiting-for-consent\" data-id=\"68153\" data-bid=\"1\" data-placement=\"448385\" data-no-track=\"impressions\">PGRpdiBpZD0ic291dGgtNjQ0MTk5ODEiIGNsYXNzPSJzb3V0aC1jb250ZW50IHNvdXRoLWVudGl0eS1wbGFjZW1lbnQiIHN0eWxlPSJtYXJnaW4tbGVmdDogYXV0bzttYXJnaW4tcmlnaHQ6IGF1dG87dGV4dC1hbGlnbjogY2VudGVyOyI+PCEtLSAgLzE1NDcyNTA3MCwyMjY5NDE5Njk2OS9zb3V0aHdhcmtuZXdzL3NvdXRod2Fya25ld3MgLS0+DQo8ZGl2IGlkPSJkaXYtZ3B0LWFkLTJ4MSI+DQo8c2NyaXB0Pg0KZ29vZ2xldGFnLmNtZC5wdXNoKGZ1bmN0aW9uKCkgeyBnb29nbGV0YWcuZGlzcGxheSgnZGl2LWdwdC1hZC0yeDEnKTsgfSk7DQo8L3NjcmlwdD4NCjwvZGl2PiAgICAgICAgICA8L2Rpdj4=<\/script>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-southwark-news wp-block-embed-southwark-news\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"4p7qeJaZO9DluMPiNRnAx1y6wH8WjLzhYVb5GBCgc2X3oSKImQrTvEUfFtd\"><blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"RgaSjYqbMp\"><a href=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/area\/peckham\/residents-filling-beds-with-ice-and-buying-air-conditioning-units-to-escape-heat-on-peckham-council-estate-as-energy-bills-soar\/\">Residents &#8216;filling beds with ice&#8217; and &#8216;buying air conditioning units&#8217; to escape heat on Peckham council estate as energy bills soar<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"&#8220;Residents &#8216;filling beds with ice&#8217; and &#8216;buying air conditioning units&#8217; to escape heat on Peckham council estate as energy bills soar&#8221; &#8212; Southwark News\" src=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/area\/peckham\/residents-filling-beds-with-ice-and-buying-air-conditioning-units-to-escape-heat-on-peckham-council-estate-as-energy-bills-soar\/embed\/#?secret=6jTPbK28RJ#?secret=RgaSjYqbMp\" data-secret=\"RgaSjYqbMp\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Currently, the London Plan encourages new developments to adopt \u201cpassive\u201d cooling measures \u2013 such as trees, green roofs and shading \u2013 rather than \u201cactive\u201d measures, such as AC. Across the country, just five per cent of buildings currently have AC installed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But London\u2019s increasing density of buildings and roads have caused an \u201curban heat island\u201d, meaning it is hotter than surrounding towns and countryside.<\/p><script type=\"text\/plain\" data-tcf=\"waiting-for-consent\" data-id=\"71156\" data-bid=\"1\" data-placement=\"448386\" data-no-track=\"impressions\">PGRpdiBpZD0ic291dGgtNDAyMTIwODY0NSIgY2xhc3M9InNvdXRoLWluLWFydGljbGUtbXB1OSBzb3V0aC1lbnRpdHktcGxhY2VtZW50Ij48IS0tICAvMTU0NzI1MDcwLDIyNjk0MTk2OTY5L3NvdXRod2Fya25ld3Mvc291dGh3YXJrbmV3cyAtLT4NCjxkaXYgaWQ9ImRpdi1ncHQtYWQtbXB1OSI+DQo8c2NyaXB0Pg0KZ29vZ2xldGFnLmNtZC5wdXNoKGZ1bmN0aW9uKCkgeyBnb29nbGV0YWcuZGlzcGxheSgnZGl2LWdwdC1hZC1tcHU5Jyk7IH0pOw0KPC9zY3JpcHQ+DQo8L2Rpdj4gICAgIDwvZGl2Pg==<\/script>\n\n\n\n<p>This overheating risk, which has already caused hundreds of heat-related excess deaths in London, has prompted City Hall to draft a Heat Risk Delivery Plan to safeguard the capital in future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Failing to do so quickly, however, will put strain on London\u2019s economy as commuters, outdoor workers, office staff and those who keep the city moving need liveable conditions, according to Lukky Ahmed, CEO of Climate X.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He told the LDRS: \u201cThis isn\u2019t just a future risk. This is today. There is currently not the urgency that is needed. This problem has been flagged in red every single year \u2013 something has to give.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe have a combination of the Urban Heat Island effect with the fact that temperature control and cooling measures are not common within properties in the UK as a whole \u2013 developers have only just started to factor that in.<\/p><script type=\"text\/plain\" data-tcf=\"waiting-for-consent\" data-id=\"71157\" data-bid=\"1\" data-placement=\"448387\" data-no-track=\"impressions\">PGRpdiBpZD0ic291dGgtMjAxNjcyODA5NiIgY2xhc3M9InNvdXRoLWluLWFydGljbGUtbXB1LTEwIHNvdXRoLWVudGl0eS1wbGFjZW1lbnQiPjwhLS0gIC8xNTQ3MjUwNzAsMjI2OTQxOTY5Njkvc291dGh3YXJrbmV3cy9zb3V0aHdhcmtuZXdzIC0tPg0KPGRpdiBpZD0iZGl2LWdwdC1hZC1tcHUxMCI+DQo8c2NyaXB0Pg0KZ29vZ2xldGFnLmNtZC5wdXNoKGZ1bmN0aW9uKCkgeyBnb29nbGV0YWcuZGlzcGxheSgnZGl2LWdwdC1hZC1tcHUxMCcpOyB9KTsNCjwvc2NyaXB0Pg0KPC9kaXY+ICAgICA8L2Rpdj4=<\/script>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIf you look at all of these things, we get the unfortunate reality that people are losing their lives as a result of heat in London. In addition, we have second order effects like lost productivity \u2013 commuters choosing to stay home as opposed to going into the city and spending on local businesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019s still not really the urgency that\u2019s needed to deal with this, however. This issue is just being accepted without any outcry or outrage.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He said not enough was being done primarily for political and funding reasons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIf City Hall invest in the right things \u2013 for example, flood defences, heat measures \u2013 people\u2019s lives won\u2019t get worse, but they won\u2019t perceive it as better, either,\u201d Mr Ahmed said. \u201cWill they feel that benefit and take it to the voting booth \u2013 or will investment in education, for example, resonate with more people?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He said the \u201creality\u201d was that any changes to the London Plan for new developments would also need to be backed up by a retrofit programme for London\u2019s existing buildings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Climate X\u2019s research also looked at New York City, where AC coverage is installed in around 90 per cent of buildings. Their cost of adaptation will only be \u00a3120.5million, most of which will go on cooling measures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cNew York\u2019s numbers show the value of acting early on climate adaptation. The city has already invested in key foundations like air conditioning and drainage, and that gives it a crucial head start,\u201d said Laura Xu, Product Lead, Adaptation Finance at Climate X.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOur data shows that with just \u00a318 million in further flood resilience investment, New York could avoid over \u00a3159 million in future annual losses, delivering a 762% return on investment. London, by contrast, is still exposed \u2013 especially to extreme heat. The message is clear: the sooner cities invest in climate resilience, the greater the long-term return.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Last month the London Assembly Planning and Regeneration Committee was told by experts that active and passive cooling should work together, rather than in a hierarchy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ed Hezlet, Head of Energy at the Centre for British Progress, said that as temperatures increase, a failure to encourage efficient active cooling systems means \u201cpeople will go out and buy lots of inefficient devices\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A spokesperson for the Mayor of London told the LDRS: \u201cLondon has experienced the impact of the climate emergency first-hand in recent years, with soaring temperatures and flash floods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe Mayor is ensuring London is better prepared and more resilient to the impacts of climate change, which is why he commissioned the London Climate Resilience Review and has already implemented several of it\u2019s recommendations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;The first heat risk action plan for London is to be launched in the summer, which will include actions to address cooling London\u2019s infrastructure, and will be accompanied by a Heat Health Action Plan.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-southwark-news wp-block-embed-southwark-news\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"XCAovkp0dYf1c3JMINLZ5\"><blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"XGNPQ43Nex\"><a href=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/area\/london\/londoners-are-at-risk-of-overheating-in-their-own-homes-can-we-survive-future-heatwaves-without-air-conditioning\/\">Londoners are at risk of overheating in their own homes &#8211; Can we survive future heatwaves without air conditioning?<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"&#8220;Londoners are at risk of overheating in their own homes &#8211; Can we survive future heatwaves without air conditioning?&#8221; &#8212; Southwark News\" src=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/area\/london\/londoners-are-at-risk-of-overheating-in-their-own-homes-can-we-survive-future-heatwaves-without-air-conditioning\/embed\/#?secret=r9EIQW0iQ6#?secret=XGNPQ43Nex\" data-secret=\"XGNPQ43Nex\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>London\u2019s lack of preparedness for extreme heat could see more than \u00a3200 million lost in productivity annually by 2030, new research has suggested. The capital\u2019s decision to deprioritise the installation of air conditioning (AC) in both commercial and residential buildings means it is particularly vulnerable as temperatures continue to rise. Researchers from Climate X, a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19652,"featured_media":469397,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":{"format":"standard","override":[{"template":"1","parallax":"1","fullscreen":"1","layout":"right-sidebar","sidebar":"default-sidebar","second_sidebar":"default-sidebar","sticky_sidebar":"1","share_position":"top","share_float_style":"share-monocrhome","show_share_counter":"1","show_view_counter":"1","show_featured":"1","show_post_meta":"1","show_post_author":"1","show_post_author_image":"1","show_post_date":"1","post_date_format":"default","post_date_format_custom":"Y\/m\/d","show_post_category":"1","show_post_reading_time":"0","post_reading_time_wpm":"300","post_calculate_word_method":"str_word_count","show_zoom_button":"0","zoom_button_out_step":"2","zoom_button_in_step":"3","show_post_tag":"1","show_prev_next_post":"1","show_popup_post":"1","show_comment_section":"1","number_popup_post":"1","show_author_box":"1","show_inline_post_related":"1"}],"image_override":[{"single_post_thumbnail_size":"crop-500","single_post_gallery_size":"crop-500"}],"trending_post_position":"meta","trending_post_label":"Trending","sponsored_post_label":"Sponsored by","disable_ad":"0","subtitle":"The overheating risk, which has already caused hundreds of heat-related excess deaths in London, has prompted City Hall to draft a Heat Risk Delivery Plan"},"jnews_primary_category":{"id":"800"},"jnews_social_meta":[],"jnews_override_counter":{"view_counter_number":"0","share_counter_number":"0","like_counter_number":"0","dislike_counter_number":"0"},"footnotes":""},"categories":[7375,800,13602],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-477254","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","category-london","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/477254","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/19652"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=477254"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/477254\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":477268,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/477254\/revisions\/477268"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/469397"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=477254"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=477254"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=477254"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}