Hot and cold: Policy perspectives on overheating and cooling in United Kingdom homes

Hoggett, Richard, Lowes, Richard, Ugalde Loo, Carlos ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6361-4454 and Khosravi, Fatemeh 2024. Hot and cold: Policy perspectives on overheating and cooling in United Kingdom homes. Energy Research & Social Science 118 , 103803. 10.1016/j.erss.2024.103803

Preview

PDF - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution. Download (2MB) | Preview

Abstract

Under the current climate, overheating is already a problem in UK homes, causing discomfort, ill health, and mortality. As temperatures continue to increase due to climate change, the problem will worsen. Cooling offers a solution and its use in the domestic sector is expected to grow, but active cooling technologies can create emissions which contribute to climate change and can have wider social impacts. Policy needs to be developed to protect people from heat risks, whilst limiting the impacts from any cooling. These are emerging research and policy areas within the UK and other temperate countries, and this paper explores these challenges and opportunities using an avoid-improve-shift cooling decarbonisation framework, through semi-structured interviews with 74 policy actors. The results show the main challenge is the existing stock, that the market for domestic cooling is immature, and there are opportunities to support the adoption of passive measures, improve cooling products, and manage cooling within the energy system. Overall, the paper highlights the need for action to create homes that are fit for the future through the development of a balanced, integrated cooling policy. This can be achieved by acting quickly and comprehensively; seeking synergies with wider energy policies; supporting people to take low-carbon, climate resilient behaviours; making use of best practice; and through effective leadership.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Engineering
Publisher:	Elsevier
ISSN:	2214-6326
Funders:	Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	23 October 2024
Date of Acceptance:	15 October 2024
Last Modified:	23 Oct 2024 13:31
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/172911

Actions (repository staff only)

Edit Item