Weatherproofing Urban Social Housing for a Changing Climate Through Retrofitting

Among the many major challenges to the implementation of large-scale housing retrofit in the UK is combining climate change mitigation through energy efficiency upgrades with climate adaptation. Whilst the specification of increasingly airtight and insulated building envelopes is necessary to reduce carbon emissions from the domestic building sector, new and existing homes will also need to be prepared for a warmer climate. This chapter explores the interrelationship between these often contradictory requirements in the context of social housing, using South Islington, in central London, as a case study. Overheating risks are likely to be amplified in social housing due to the increased propensity to overheating of certain dwelling types that are common in this sector (e.g. purpose-built flats) and the high levels of individual vulnerability, in particular among the elderly. It was indicated that although social housing residents are often sceptical about climate change, they may be already facing thermal discomfort under the current climate, which is expected to be exacerbated under future climate scenarios. It was also found that air pollution, noise and security concerns may limit the potential of occupant-controlled natural ventilation.