HEARTH: National Hub on Net Zero, Health and Extreme Heat
Lead Research Organisation:
OXFORD BROOKES UNIVERSITY
Department Name: Faculty of Tech, Design and Environment
Abstract
Transformative action, at pace and scale, is required to deliver a net zero building stock in the UK by 2050. This will be enormously challenging and is made even more difficult within the context of a changing climate. In summer 2022, the UK experienced unprecedented 40°C temperatures and five heat periods, associated with 3,271 deaths in England and Wales. A future with more intense and frequent heatwaves, that often co-occur with other weather extremes, poses a severe threat to public health. By the mid-2030s, 90% of the UK's housing stock may be susceptible to overheating. Despite this, UK Building Regulations currently do not require buildings to address future overheating risks driven by a warming climate.
While Net Zero measures such as improvements in building thermal performance can reduce heating demand, there is risk of summertime overheating if suitable adaptation measures are not incorporated. Vulnerable populations (e.g., persons with chronic conditions and disabilities, older people, pregnant women, preschool children) and those in insecure housing, confined environments or experiencing homelessness all face a heightened risk during hot spells.
Challenge the project addresses
The UK urgently needs to deliver vital climate, health and equity actions which affect homes of different tenures and multifunctional residential environments, including care settings, hospitals and prisons. The need for effective delivery that achieves net zero, maximises co-benefits and minimises unintended consequences for vulnerable communities in these settings is the overarching challenge that the Hub will address. Our hub is designed to address the 'Extreme weather' challenge area, interpreted here as heat extremes and co-occurring events (flooding, drought, wildfires, air quality).
While Net Zero measures such as improvements in building thermal performance can reduce heating demand, there is risk of summertime overheating if suitable adaptation measures are not incorporated. Vulnerable populations (e.g., persons with chronic conditions and disabilities, older people, pregnant women, preschool children) and those in insecure housing, confined environments or experiencing homelessness all face a heightened risk during hot spells.
Challenge the project addresses
The UK urgently needs to deliver vital climate, health and equity actions which affect homes of different tenures and multifunctional residential environments, including care settings, hospitals and prisons. The need for effective delivery that achieves net zero, maximises co-benefits and minimises unintended consequences for vulnerable communities in these settings is the overarching challenge that the Hub will address. Our hub is designed to address the 'Extreme weather' challenge area, interpreted here as heat extremes and co-occurring events (flooding, drought, wildfires, air quality).
Organisations
- OXFORD BROOKES UNIVERSITY (Co-funder, Lead Research Organisation)
- Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) (Collaboration)
- Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust (Collaboration)
- Ordnance Survey (Collaboration)
- The London Legacy Development Corporation (Collaboration)
- Architype (Collaboration)
- University College London (Collaboration)
- University of Leeds (Collaboration)
- Greater London Authority (GLA) (Collaboration)
- OXFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL (Collaboration)
- Elderly Accommodation Counsel (Collaboration)
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF EXETER (Collaboration)
- ARUP (Project Partner)
- OXFORD HEALTH NHS FOUNDATION TRUST (Project Partner)
- Edinburgh Climate Change Institute (Project Partner)
- The National Energy Foundation (Project Partner)
- National Retrofit HUB (Project Partner)
- MAX FORDHAM LLP (Project Partner)
- Energy Saving Trust (Project Partner)
- Health and Safety Executive (Project Partner)
- Woodknowledge Wales Ltd (Project Partner)
- Dept for Energy Security & Net Zero (Project Partner)
- Kensa Group Ltd (Project Partner)
- Housing LIN Ltd (Project Partner)
- Saint-Gobain Limited (UK) (Project Partner)
- AtkinsRéalis (Project Partner)
- The City of Edinburgh Council (Project Partner)
- MET OFFICE (Project Partner)
- Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust (Project Partner)
- Climate Northern Ireland (Project Partner)
- BRADFORD METROPOLITAN DISTRICT COUNCIL (Project Partner)
- Pollard Thomas Edwards Architects (Project Partner)
- Northern Ireland Housing Executive (Project Partner)
- Sustainable Scotland Network (Project Partner)
- FEANTSA (Project Partner)
- Public Health Wales NHS Trust (Project Partner)
- LEEDS CITY COUNCIL (Project Partner)
- London Climate Change Partnership (Project Partner)
- Ministry of Justice (UK) (Project Partner)
- Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust (Project Partner)
- Healthy Homes Hub (Project Partner)
- Chartered Inst of Building Serv Eng (Project Partner)
- Department for Levelling Up, Housing and (Project Partner)
- Good Homes Alliance (Project Partner)
Publications
| Description | CIBSE Sustainable Cooling Working Group |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Description | Committee on Climate Change Project Steering Group |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Description | Future Homes Hub Part O Liaison Group |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Description | HEARTH London Working Group |
| Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Description | NIHR Development Award Steering Group |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Description | Adaptation for Resilience and Equity in Communities and Health Infrastructure (ARCHI) project & HEARTH collaboration |
| Organisation | London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Collaborative workshop on bridging the gap between climate adaptation policy, research, and NHS implementation in practice. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Collaborative workshop on bridging the gap between climate adaptation policy, research, and NHS implementation in practice. Evidence from a pilot study showing that external shading reduced indoor temperatures significantly, and proximity to nature was associated with reduced lengths of hospital stay. |
| Impact | Multi-disciplinary: built environment, epidemiology, health impact modelling, climate economics and policy |
| Start Year | 2026 |
| Description | Adaptation for Resilience and Equity in Communities and Health Infrastructure (ARCHI) project & HEARTH collaboration |
| Organisation | Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Collaborative workshop on bridging the gap between climate adaptation policy, research, and NHS implementation in practice. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Collaborative workshop on bridging the gap between climate adaptation policy, research, and NHS implementation in practice. Evidence from a pilot study showing that external shading reduced indoor temperatures significantly, and proximity to nature was associated with reduced lengths of hospital stay. |
| Impact | Multi-disciplinary: built environment, epidemiology, health impact modelling, climate economics and policy |
| Start Year | 2026 |
| Description | Adaptation for Resilience and Equity in Communities and Health Infrastructure (ARCHI) project & HEARTH collaboration |
| Organisation | University College London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Collaborative workshop on bridging the gap between climate adaptation policy, research, and NHS implementation in practice. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Collaborative workshop on bridging the gap between climate adaptation policy, research, and NHS implementation in practice. Evidence from a pilot study showing that external shading reduced indoor temperatures significantly, and proximity to nature was associated with reduced lengths of hospital stay. |
| Impact | Multi-disciplinary: built environment, epidemiology, health impact modelling, climate economics and policy |
| Start Year | 2026 |
| Description | Chobham Manor development (LLDC) study (WS3.1/WS5.1) |
| Organisation | The London Legacy Development Corporation |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Offer to monitor dwellings |
| Collaborator Contribution | Offer to provide dwellings with adaptation measures for monitoring |
| Impact | Multi-disciplinary: Built environment, development |
| Start Year | 2026 |
| Description | Chobham Manor development (LLDC) study (WS3.1/WS5.1) |
| Organisation | University College London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Offer to monitor dwellings |
| Collaborator Contribution | Offer to provide dwellings with adaptation measures for monitoring |
| Impact | Multi-disciplinary: Built environment, development |
| Start Year | 2026 |
| Description | National datasets for care settings |
| Organisation | Elderly Accommodation Counsel |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Access to national datasets for care settings is being secured through external organisations. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Definitions for different types of care settings are currently under discussion. |
| Impact | No outputs yet. |
| Start Year | 2026 |
| Description | National datasets for care settings |
| Organisation | Ordnance Survey |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Access to national datasets for care settings is being secured through external organisations. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Definitions for different types of care settings are currently under discussion. |
| Impact | No outputs yet. |
| Start Year | 2026 |
| Description | Oxfordshire homes and care setting recruitment (WS3.1) |
| Organisation | Oxfordshire County Council |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Discussions have progressed on the recruitment of social housing dwellings and care settings for the project. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Discussions have progressed on the recruitment of social housing dwellings and care settings for the project. |
| Impact | None yet |
| Start Year | 2026 |
| Description | PPIE PLANET Workshop, 27 November 2025 (CT2.2) |
| Organisation | Greater London Authority (GLA) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Gathered feedback on HEARTH research methods and materials, ensuring that study procedures are clear, appropriate, proportionate, and reasonable for participants. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Suggested improvements for material and methods including: Sensor placement and protection Clarify costs, time and use of public data Safety and ethics of physiological tools and measurements Refinement of survey design |
| Impact | Revised participant surveys. Multi-disciplinary: built environment, epidemiology, health impact modelling, climate economics and policy |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | PPIE PLANET Workshop, 27 November 2025 (CT2.2) |
| Organisation | London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Gathered feedback on HEARTH research methods and materials, ensuring that study procedures are clear, appropriate, proportionate, and reasonable for participants. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Suggested improvements for material and methods including: Sensor placement and protection Clarify costs, time and use of public data Safety and ethics of physiological tools and measurements Refinement of survey design |
| Impact | Revised participant surveys. Multi-disciplinary: built environment, epidemiology, health impact modelling, climate economics and policy |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | PPIE PLANET Workshop, 27 November 2025 (CT2.2) |
| Organisation | University College London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Gathered feedback on HEARTH research methods and materials, ensuring that study procedures are clear, appropriate, proportionate, and reasonable for participants. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Suggested improvements for material and methods including: Sensor placement and protection Clarify costs, time and use of public data Safety and ethics of physiological tools and measurements Refinement of survey design |
| Impact | Revised participant surveys. Multi-disciplinary: built environment, epidemiology, health impact modelling, climate economics and policy |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | PPIE PLANET Workshop, 27 November 2025 (CT2.2) |
| Organisation | University of Exeter |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Gathered feedback on HEARTH research methods and materials, ensuring that study procedures are clear, appropriate, proportionate, and reasonable for participants. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Suggested improvements for material and methods including: Sensor placement and protection Clarify costs, time and use of public data Safety and ethics of physiological tools and measurements Refinement of survey design |
| Impact | Revised participant surveys. Multi-disciplinary: built environment, epidemiology, health impact modelling, climate economics and policy |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | PPIE PLANET Workshop, 27 November 2025 (CT2.2) |
| Organisation | University of Leeds |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Gathered feedback on HEARTH research methods and materials, ensuring that study procedures are clear, appropriate, proportionate, and reasonable for participants. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Suggested improvements for material and methods including: Sensor placement and protection Clarify costs, time and use of public data Safety and ethics of physiological tools and measurements Refinement of survey design |
| Impact | Revised participant surveys. Multi-disciplinary: built environment, epidemiology, health impact modelling, climate economics and policy |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | Stakeholder Workshop on Care Settings, 10 November 2025 (CT2.1) |
| Organisation | Architype |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | There is a strong case for supplementary national guidance, potentially including a care-home-specific CIBSE TM59 addendum. Novel approaches, including body-worn health sensors and concurrent environmental monitoring and modelling, will enhance the understanding of heat stress and the impacts of interventions. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Overheating in care homes is prevalent, with many facilities regularly exceeding safe indoor temperatures. Residents, particularly older adults and people living with dementia, face heightened health risks, yet existing guidance is inconsistently implemented. Lessons from Passivhaus/EnerPHit show that addressing internal heat gains is vital. Solutions such as external shading, reflective surfaces, high-performance windows, airtightness upgrades and MVHR with summer bypass need to be applied holistically. Wearable devices are generally accepted by residents and staff, although usability considerations remain important. |
| Impact | Multi-disciplinary collaboration: built environment, epidemiology, health impact modelling, climate economics and policy |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | Stakeholder Workshop on Care Settings, 10 November 2025 (CT2.1) |
| Organisation | Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | There is a strong case for supplementary national guidance, potentially including a care-home-specific CIBSE TM59 addendum. Novel approaches, including body-worn health sensors and concurrent environmental monitoring and modelling, will enhance the understanding of heat stress and the impacts of interventions. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Overheating in care homes is prevalent, with many facilities regularly exceeding safe indoor temperatures. Residents, particularly older adults and people living with dementia, face heightened health risks, yet existing guidance is inconsistently implemented. Lessons from Passivhaus/EnerPHit show that addressing internal heat gains is vital. Solutions such as external shading, reflective surfaces, high-performance windows, airtightness upgrades and MVHR with summer bypass need to be applied holistically. Wearable devices are generally accepted by residents and staff, although usability considerations remain important. |
| Impact | Multi-disciplinary collaboration: built environment, epidemiology, health impact modelling, climate economics and policy |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | Stakeholder Workshop on Care Settings, 10 November 2025 (CT2.1) |
| Organisation | Greater London Authority (GLA) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | There is a strong case for supplementary national guidance, potentially including a care-home-specific CIBSE TM59 addendum. Novel approaches, including body-worn health sensors and concurrent environmental monitoring and modelling, will enhance the understanding of heat stress and the impacts of interventions. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Overheating in care homes is prevalent, with many facilities regularly exceeding safe indoor temperatures. Residents, particularly older adults and people living with dementia, face heightened health risks, yet existing guidance is inconsistently implemented. Lessons from Passivhaus/EnerPHit show that addressing internal heat gains is vital. Solutions such as external shading, reflective surfaces, high-performance windows, airtightness upgrades and MVHR with summer bypass need to be applied holistically. Wearable devices are generally accepted by residents and staff, although usability considerations remain important. |
| Impact | Multi-disciplinary collaboration: built environment, epidemiology, health impact modelling, climate economics and policy |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | Stakeholder Workshop on Care Settings, 10 November 2025 (CT2.1) |
| Organisation | London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | There is a strong case for supplementary national guidance, potentially including a care-home-specific CIBSE TM59 addendum. Novel approaches, including body-worn health sensors and concurrent environmental monitoring and modelling, will enhance the understanding of heat stress and the impacts of interventions. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Overheating in care homes is prevalent, with many facilities regularly exceeding safe indoor temperatures. Residents, particularly older adults and people living with dementia, face heightened health risks, yet existing guidance is inconsistently implemented. Lessons from Passivhaus/EnerPHit show that addressing internal heat gains is vital. Solutions such as external shading, reflective surfaces, high-performance windows, airtightness upgrades and MVHR with summer bypass need to be applied holistically. Wearable devices are generally accepted by residents and staff, although usability considerations remain important. |
| Impact | Multi-disciplinary collaboration: built environment, epidemiology, health impact modelling, climate economics and policy |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | Stakeholder Workshop on Care Settings, 10 November 2025 (CT2.1) |
| Organisation | University College London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | There is a strong case for supplementary national guidance, potentially including a care-home-specific CIBSE TM59 addendum. Novel approaches, including body-worn health sensors and concurrent environmental monitoring and modelling, will enhance the understanding of heat stress and the impacts of interventions. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Overheating in care homes is prevalent, with many facilities regularly exceeding safe indoor temperatures. Residents, particularly older adults and people living with dementia, face heightened health risks, yet existing guidance is inconsistently implemented. Lessons from Passivhaus/EnerPHit show that addressing internal heat gains is vital. Solutions such as external shading, reflective surfaces, high-performance windows, airtightness upgrades and MVHR with summer bypass need to be applied holistically. Wearable devices are generally accepted by residents and staff, although usability considerations remain important. |
| Impact | Multi-disciplinary collaboration: built environment, epidemiology, health impact modelling, climate economics and policy |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | Stakeholder Workshop on Care Settings, 10 November 2025 (CT2.1) |
| Organisation | University of Leeds |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | There is a strong case for supplementary national guidance, potentially including a care-home-specific CIBSE TM59 addendum. Novel approaches, including body-worn health sensors and concurrent environmental monitoring and modelling, will enhance the understanding of heat stress and the impacts of interventions. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Overheating in care homes is prevalent, with many facilities regularly exceeding safe indoor temperatures. Residents, particularly older adults and people living with dementia, face heightened health risks, yet existing guidance is inconsistently implemented. Lessons from Passivhaus/EnerPHit show that addressing internal heat gains is vital. Solutions such as external shading, reflective surfaces, high-performance windows, airtightness upgrades and MVHR with summer bypass need to be applied holistically. Wearable devices are generally accepted by residents and staff, although usability considerations remain important. |
| Impact | Multi-disciplinary collaboration: built environment, epidemiology, health impact modelling, climate economics and policy |
| Start Year | 2025 |