London is currently regarded as one of the most intense urban heat islands globally, as noted by the London Climate Ready Partnership.

The city’s dense construction can lead to temperatures in the urban core being as much as 10 degrees Celsius higher than those in the nearby countryside.

This climate disparity can make many residences uncomfortable during hot spells unless proactive steps are taken to alleviate the situation.

Musician Andre Louis, who spends considerable time working from his home in Kilburn, struggles with the sweltering heat in the summer months, despite employing several fans throughout his living space.

“The architecture here is designed to retain heat, which results in an exacerbated warmth during hot weather,” he remarks.

“For instance, we haven’t needed to turn on the heating in the winter for around eight years, and this has led to substantial savings on our energy bills.”

“However, since air conditioning isn’t typically included in these homes, our attempts to cool down the space prove ineffective.”

It’s not solely the residences that are experiencing elevated temperatures; the entire city is affected.

In densely populated neighborhoods like Kilburn, the bricks and concrete trap heat throughout the day, releasing it gradually once the sun goes down.

Conversely, nearby Regent’s Park benefits from lush vegetation and natural shade, resulting in a noticeable temperature drop.

At night, the temperature variance between the urbanized areas and greener spaces can reach up to 7 degrees Celsius.

Architect Sean Hill, specializing in the design of energy-efficient homes, emphasizes the importance of considering various factors when planning residential spaces, such as “building insulation, orientation, window placement, and sizing to counteract overheating and promote ventilation.”

His firm is assisting Freya and Alex, a couple who recently acquired a new home, in implementing strategies to ensure their living space remains warm during winter and cool in summer.

“We aimed to future-proof the house, making it comfortable over the next two decades without extreme temperatures,” Freya explains.

“Since we are fortunate enough to tackle this in one comprehensive effort, we are fully committing to it.”

Alex adds that when the renovations are complete, the house will feature multiple techniques to regulate temperature effectively.

“In hot weather, the blinds will lower automatically. We utilize mechanical ventilation, and our heat pump operates in a reverse cycle to cool both the floors and ceilings.”

He also mentions they plan to “paint the house white to reflect more sunlight, which should help moderate the temperatures.”

Overall, they are steering clear of air conditioning, as it tends to expel hot air outside, which can contribute to rising temperatures in the urban environment.

As summers continue to heat up, more individuals are likely to explore alternative cooling solutions.