It is a typical summer’s afternoon in Gujarat, India. Women and children are listless as they swelter in the 34 degree heat. It’s even hotter outside. Families that have moved into affordable housing units built in the last few years are finding their comfort and health have not been sufficiently considered in the design and construction of the new dwellings.
There are similar issues in Indonesia — where one study showed most household energy use was dedicated to trying unsuccessfully to stay cool — and Australia, where tenants in rental properties were regularly experiencing indoor temperatures above 30 degrees in summer.
We are experiencing a heat pandemic. And it’s caused by lousy buildings. Homes could be refuges from the impacts of climate change, rather than silent contributors to the climate emergency. But for that to happen requires changing the way we build so homes are suited for future climates.
