The rare red heat warning issued by the Met Office and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) for parts of England and Wales this week is yet another reminder of the importance of constructing buildings which remain cool in summer, says insulation specialist Actis.
The warning means the temperatures – forecast to hit 40 degrees in some areas – will have a population-wide impact on health and will lead to serious illness and a danger to life.
This is only the second time a red extreme heat weather warning has ever been triggered, the first being in July 2022 when the UK experienced its highest ever recorded temperature of 40.3C in Coningsby in Lincolnshire.
Temperatures will be unbearable for many
Even night-time temperatures are predicted to be ‘tropical’ with minimum temperatures of 21 or 22 degrees in some areas. Under Part O of the building regulations, architects need to find ways to limit unwanted solar gains and provide a way to remove heat from residential dwellings. And as well as strategically siting windows in new builds and drawing curtains, installing reflective insulation can help ensure a building remains at a comfortable temperature, say Actis.
Many factors affect overheating homes
“There are obviously many factors involved in ensuring a home remains cool in the summer as well as warm in the winter. Using reflective insulation blankets which reduce radiant heat gain and ensure year-round comfort – not just winter warmth – is one of those,” explained Actis UK and Ireland sales director Mark Cooper.
“Our reflective insulation products, insulating vapour control layers and insulating breather membranes, which include our two-in-one Eolis HC, reflect an impressive 94% of infrared radiation.
“They are exceptionally effective at preventing overheating in loft conversions — areas that can otherwise become uncomfortably warm and difficult to use during high summer — creating a consistently cool, calm, and genuinely habitable space throughout the hottest months.”
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