Temperatures could soar to dangerously high levels in some homes insulated under the government’s flagship Green Deal scheme, experts have warned.
Energy-saving measures designed to save on winter fuel bills and protect the environment could pose a risk to health during summer heatwaves, they add.
The government says it is aware of the problem and is taking steps to prevent overheating in Green Deal properties.
Homes in densely populated urban areas are most at risk. Heat can build up during the day and has nowhere to escape at night leading to poor air quality and a greater risk of heat stress for the occupants which in extreme cases can kill.
Prof Chris Goodier, of Loughborough University’s department of civil and building engineering, said it was vital that homes in the UK are better insulated to help meet carbon emission targets and save on winter fuel bills.
But he said that the risk of overheating had been overlooked in the “big rush to insulate and make homes airtight”, particularly as more extreme weather events, including heatwaves are being predicted for the UK. Prof Goodier said: “overheating is like the little boy at the back of the class waving his hand. It is forgotten about because other challenges are so big”.
The Department for Energy and Climate Change says it has now issued fresh guidance to Green Deal suppliers to help reduce potential risks from installing energy efficient measures – as part of a broader plan to deal with the effects of climate change, as set out in the National Adaptation Programme published last week.
Source: BBC news
