New report assesses which of London’s properties and neighbourhoods are most vulnerable to heat

Arup was commissioned by the Mayor of London to produce new research assessing properties and residential neighbourhoods vulnerable to heat risk in the capital. Launching today, the Properties Vulnerable to Heat Impacts in London report looks at which of the city’s ‘essential properties’ such as schools, hospitals, care homes, residential buildings and neighbourhoods would be most impacted during periods of high temperatures.

The report also shows there is a direct correlation between a higher heat risk and areas that have greater socio-economic vulnerabilities.

Published alongside the independent London Climate Resilience Review’s interim report commissioned by the Mayor of London, the study will help inform how London and the boroughs prioritise interventions and adaptations needed across the capital to respond to the climate emergency.

Arup’s report references how urban heat is a key challenge facing London. The materials we use to build, like concrete and metal, absorb heat in the day and emit it at night. Commonly referenced as the urban heat island (UHI) effect, factors including heat emitted from cars and air conditioning units, exacerbate the impact and human experience of heat in cities.

Properties Vulnerable to Heat Impacts in London comes after last week’s stark warning from scientists that 2023 was the hottest year on earth since records began. In the summer of 2022, the UK saw its first ever ‘UK Health Security Agency Level 4 heat alert’, and its first ‘Met Office Red extreme heat warning’. Also using Arup’s digital tool UHeat, this publication follows the firm’s previous research assessing the “hot spots” of seven major cities, including London. Modelling the UHI effect in a city, the Urban Heat Snapshot report found that nearly a quarter of a million elderly people and children are living with heat spikes of 4°C in the capital compared to rural surroundings.

The report is the most recent publication produced by Arup for the Mayor of London. Dedicated to supporting the capital with inclusive climate transitions, delivering resilience and equity for all, Arup was previously commissioned to identify retrofit solutions and implementation strategy at scale for the capital, as outlined in the Roofs Designed to Cool report. This was further supported by the firm’s contribution to the Mayor for London’s Climate Resilient Schools programme, which saw the firm lead on bespoke climate action plans for 60 London schools. Arup has since outlined and supported with the implementation of climate action plans for several boroughs including Waltham Forest and most recently Newham.