With 2023 almost certain to be the hottest year on record, future-proofing homes from the effects of extreme heat is becoming more and more important, according to insulation specialist Actis.
And while until recently the focus was on ensuring homes stayed warm in winter, they now need to remain cool in summer as well, says the pan-European company.
Its UK and Ireland sales director, Mark Cooper, was responding to a report based on data gathered by the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service.
The organisation’s research also showed that this July could have been the hottest globally for a staggering 125,000 years.
“While installing heat-reflective insulation into a house isn’t going to reverse global warming it will reduce the uncomfortable and even dangerous effects of heat on the human body while indoors,” he said.
“That in turn will reduce and ideally eliminate the need for energy-guzzling air conditioning systems which then create a vicious circle. We must do everything we can to reduce our negative impact on the planet as well as comply with Part O of the building regulations which obliges architects to limit unwanted solar gains and provide a way to remove heat from residential dwellings.”
The latest data follows the publication of ONS figures on the impact of rising temperatures on mortality. These showed there have been 50,000 heat-related deaths and more than 200,000 related to cold in England and Wales since 1988.
A recent Oxford University report says the UK is ‘dangerously unprepared’ for the impact of rising temperatures and calls for sustainable adaptations to the built environment to keep people cool.
The Actis Hybrid range of insulation and membranes and its new two-in-one Eolis HC have an important role to play in helping buildings stay cool.
“While some insulation products can make homes unbearably hot in the summer, reflective alternatives also act as coolants – helping protect the health and comfort of the occupants,” said Mark.
“Using Actis products can make a dramatic impact on the comfort of homes in hot weather, with our new Eolis HC, a reflective insulation with an integrated vapour barrier, reflecting 95% of infrared radiation, courtesy of the revolutionary Triplex technology from which it is created.”
For more information on Actis Insulation visit ACTIS Insulation – Tomorrow’s insulation today (insulation-actis.com).
