The UK’s weather is no longer just 'unpredictable'
The UK’s relationship with weather has long been one of mild fascination, but the days of gentle unpredictability are fading fast. We are now firmly in the age of climate disruption – and it’s getting worse.
From overheating cities to flash floods, droughts, wildfires, and infrastructure failures, the UK is no longer insulated from extreme weather. These events aren’t 'one-off's' either - they’re part of a volatile new normal. What we are seeing are climate ‘whips’ (hydroclimate whiplash) - sudden swings between extremes, such as torrential downpours following long dry spells, or heatwaves in early spring. Our buildings, infrastructure, and policies are just not prepared. From sewers to power grids to transport systems - bridges buckle, roads melt and trains halt. These aren’t freak occurrences - they are systemic failures under stress.
Building resilience means planning for these extremes, not assuming we’ll return to some kind of equilibrium. Shading, passive cooling, sustainable drainage, and water conservation are not optional extras - they are core resilience strategies.
The cost of inaction: lives, livelihoods, and infrastructure
On the 19th of July 2022, London recorded its highest-ever temperature (40.2°C) at both Heathrow Airport and St James's Park. In Coningsby, Lincolnshire on the same day, 40.3°C was recorded.
That month, during a three-day period, 387 people in the capital alone died due to heat-related causes. It was a harsh reminder that overheating isn’t just uncomfortable - it’s deadly. During that heatwave, water consumption spiked by 50%, leading to pressure drops in certain areas. This directly impacted firefighting and essential services - underlining how stretched and vulnerable our systems already are.
Flash floods in Wales, wildfires in Surrey, and droughts across East Anglia are not theoretical future risks - they are problems of the here and now. By 2050, England faces a projected daily water shortfall of five billion litres… unless radical changes are made.
Yet, we continue to design and operate buildings/cities as though climate extremes were an aberration - not the trajectory we’re actually on.
Urban Heat Islands: cities on the boil
The Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect - where densely built-up areas retain heat more than rural surroundings - makes cities especially vulnerable during heatwaves. In London, the UHI effect can drive night-time temperatures up to 10°C higher than nearby green areas. This sustained heat load contributes significantly to health risks, particularly for the elderly, people with chronic illnesses, and those living in poorly insulated or overcrowded housing.
Shading: a simple but often underappreciated solution
In urban areas some natural or artificial shading solutions could be: imaginative tree planting, awnings, external blinds and shutters, overhangs, pergolas, deep eaves, or architectural brise-soleils ('sun breakers'). These thoughtfully designed shading solutions can dramatically cut the amount of heat entering a building, especially through south- and west-facing windows. Unlike mechanical cooling systems, such passive measures do not rely on energy inputs and can be tailored to the building’s orientation, use, and surrounding environment.
Streets lined with mature trees or green façades not only lower air temperatures but improve air quality and provide refuge for people and wildlife. Retrofitting buildings to reduce solar gain is critical, and shading plays a key role in this, too.
Shading not only enhances thermal comfort, but also reduces reliance on air conditioning, helping to lower energy bills and emissions. When combined with reflective materials, ventilation upgrades, and insulation, shading becomes part of an integrated retrofit strategy that prepares buildings to withstand longer, hotter summers and will also protect occupants from dangerous indoor temperatures.
These solutions not only offer thermal benefits but also enhance visual appeal, boost biodiversity, and contribute to more liveable, climate-resilient neighbourhoods. As the climate shifts, passive measures like shading will become just as essential as insulation and ventilation in future-proofing our built environment.
Some examples of rural shading solutions
Extreme heat doesn’t stop at the edge of the M25, rural areas are facing their own battles, including: heat-stressed crops, parched soil and dehydrated livestock. Rural homes, agricultural buildings and animal shelters all need passive cooling strategies. Trees and hedgerows - long part of the British landscape - are natural climate allies, offering shading for livestock, reducing evaporation from soils, and acting as windbreaks to reduce heat stress on crops.
In gardens, overall design needs a rethink (though some gardeners are already on the frontlines of climate adaptation). Pergolas, vine-covered trellises, green roofs on sheds, and strategic planting of shady trees can cool the air, making outdoor spaces usable during extreme heat. Water features and climbing plants also help lower microclimate temperatures through evaporation and transpiration.
Climate resilience isn’t optional - it’s urgent
The term climate resilience refers to the ability of systems - from buildings to cities - to anticipate, absorb, and recover from extreme weather events. It’s not about avoiding change, but adapting to it intelligently.
The London Climate Resilience Review, released in early 2024, is one of the most comprehensive and urgent calls to action in the UK to date. It sets out 50 recommendations to prepare the capital for a future shaped by disruption - from overheating to water stress to failing infrastructure. Its message is clear: without minimum resilience standards across all sectors, London - and cities like it - will continue to suffer disproportionate losses.
Among the review’s key recommendations is a mandate for minimum resilience standards for all buildings, including:
- Shading and passive cooling to prevent overheating
- Water efficiency technologies
- Leakage prevention systems
- Sustainable drainage to reduce flash flood risk.
Retrofitting and adapting what we already have
The UK has some of the oldest housing stock in Europe. Roughly 80% of the buildings that will exist in 2050 are already standing, which makes retrofitting a cornerstone of climate adaptation.
The IPCC’s latest reports and the UK’s 7th Carbon Budget both stress the urgent need for adaptation. It’s not just about hitting net-zero targets - it’s about ensuring that homes remain habitable and safe during weather extremes.
Simple interventions like external shading, upgraded ventilation, draught-proofing, window replacements, and green walls can make a significant difference. These measures reduce heat build-up, lower energy bills, and improve wellbeing - especially during long heat spells when air quality also tends to suffer.
Nature-based solutions
Concrete and steel alone won’t save us. Nature-based solutions - such as rewilding, urban tree planting, restoring wetlands, and creating green corridors - offer immense climate resilience benefits. They reduce flood risk, absorb carbon, lower urban temperatures, and support biodiversity. Shading too is one of the immediate benefits of urban greening. Mature trees can reduce nearby air temperatures by several degrees, and even small planting pockets in public squares or on rooftops can create thermal relief zones.
Urban greening strategies, like those implemented in Manchester and Sheffield, show that cities can be both climate-resilient and liveable - if nature is allowed back in.
I am currently working with some international experts on large projects in regards to climate change, water use, sustainability topics and nature-based solutions. I am also involved in a large decarbonisation project (over 1.5mw) of combined Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP) and Water Source Heat Pump (WSHP) ‘best-of-breed’ technology. It’s cutting edge and utilises expertise from some of the best companies in the UK and Europe.
The UK’s climate damage is a patchwork of vulnerability
The impacts of extreme weather are not evenly distributed. In the North West, persistent rainfall is overwhelming Victorian drainage systems. In the South East, prolonged dry spells are cracking clay soils and shifting building foundations. In Cornwall, coastal erosion is threatening infrastructure and homes. Rural communities face water shortages, while urban centres battle with flash floods and rising insurance premiums.
The UK’s climate response must therefore be regionally tailored - not a one-size-fits-all solution, because there just isn’t one. National policy must empower local authorities to implement strategies suited to their specific climate risks - including appropriate shading standards, green infrastructure design, and retrofitting support.
Sustainability demands resilience
Sustainability isn’t just about cutting emissions - it’s about enduring. Without resilience, sustainability goals will collapse under the weight of extreme weather. Investing in climate adaptation - especially through shading, nature-based solutions, and home retrofits - is not just an environmental strategy, it's economic, social - and moral. By addressing overheating, flood risk, water scarcity, and failing infrastructure now, we’re not just mitigating climate risks - we’re future-proofing our homes, our cities - and our wellbeing.
What needs to happen now?
- Enforce resilience standards
Embed minimum resilience requirements into building regulations, including overheating protection, shading, water efficiency, and flood resistance. - Scale up Retrofit Funding
Create dedicated funding streams and incentives for home adaptation, prioritising the most vulnerable households first. - Boost public awareness
Climate adaptation is for every homeowner, landlord, and community - public engagement campaigns can shift behaviour and expectations. - Prioritise nature-based solutions
Expand urban greening, protect wetlands, and create shaded corridors across cityscapes and communities. - Implement London Review recommendations
The London Climate Resilience Review must become a blueprint for other cities. Its recommendations should be monitored, enforced, and updated annually. - Reform water strategy
Address leaks, enforce efficient appliances, and plan for equitable water distribution - especially during heatwaves and droughts.
Our weather has always been a bit of a national obsession. But now, it demands more than conversation - it requires transformation. We must build homes that can stay cool in the heat, manage water wisely, and recover quickly from disruption. We must embrace shading and nature as central to urban and rural design. And, we must demand bold leadership that doesn't wait for another deadly heatwave to act.
If we treat climate resilience as central to sustainability - not separate from it - we’ll be better equipped not just to survive the storms ahead, but to thrive beyond them.
Carl Dodd, Property Revolutions Ltd.
