A groundbreaking new report from the UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) has sparked urgent calls for action, warning that millions of homes, schools, offices, and care facilities across the UK are dangerously unprepared for the escalating impacts of global heating. Without swift intervention, the country faces mounting health risks, economic losses, and even the loss of entire communities to floodwaters and extreme heat.
The UK Climate Resilience Roadmap, published after two years of research, paints a stark picture: the UK’s built environment is not ready for today’s extreme weather, let alone the hotter, wetter, and wilder climate that is already on the horizon.
The report warns that, even under the most optimistic climate scenarios, buildings across the country will struggle to protect their occupants from prolonged heatwaves, flooding, wildfires, drought, and storms.
“Our buildings are on the frontline—they must protect us, but right now, they are not ready,” said Simon McWhirter, chief executive of the UKGBC.
Who Is Most at Risk?
Schools are projected to endure up to 10 weeks every year with temperatures above 28°C—even if global warming is limited to 2°C above preindustrial levels.
Overheating threatens students’ concentration, comfort, and learning outcomes. Care home residents—among the most vulnerable in society—will face at least four weeks of extreme heat annual.
Health risks for the elderly and infirm will rise sharply. offices built with large glass facades and lightweight materials—are especially prone to overheating. Millions of workers could see their productivity drop and their wellbeing suffer.
Six million homes and flats in London and the South East could experience three weeks of extreme heat every year. By 2050, up to 8 million properties in England could be at risk of flooding, with coastal erosion threatening thousands more.
Cities like London, Birmingham, and Manchester are at the top of the list for wildfire, drought, and flood risk. Entire towns, such as Peterborough in England and Fairbourne in Wales, could become uninhabitable by the end of the century due to flooding and sea-level rise.
What Needs to Change?
Appointing a “Minister for Resilience” in the Cabinet Office to lead national adaptation efforts.
Making climate safety a legal requirement in all new building plans.
Raising standards for new homes to protect against overheating, flooding, and water shortages.
Launching a comprehensive retrofit program to upgrade millions of existing buildings.
Protecting communities with green infrastructure like trees, parks, and ponds.
“It is within our power to design buildings and cities that are safer, more comfortable, and resilient to the impacts of the changing climate—but only if we act now,” the report states.
The UKGBC and other experts have criticized the government’s new planning and infrastructure bill for failing to mandate climate safety in buildings. The current focus on growth, rather than environmental protection, leaves the country exposed to rising climate risks.
“The government’s proposals or plans fail to deliver progress towards—or even actively hinder—a net zero carbon built environment,” warns a recent UKGBC scorecard.
“Overhaul the planning system to support net zero: The Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill currently progressing through Parliament and forthcoming changes to the National Planning Policy Framework must be used to ensure new developments and infrastructure are fit for purpose with climate and nature improvement at their core,” the UKGBC urges.
Households could save over £700 annually on energy bills if buildings were retrofitted. Up to 500,000 skilled jobs could be created in the green economy over the next decade. The NHS could save £1.4 billion a year by preventing illnesses linked to poor housing. Thousands of lives could be saved each year by making homes safer and healthier.
Quote of the Day
“The UK is not ready for the extreme weather events of today, even less so for the hotter, wetter, and wilder climate that is already racing down the track at us. Our homes, schools, hospitals, parks, and offices are on the frontline, protecting and nurturing us. We need a fundamental rethink if we are to help protect people and our way of life.”
— Simon McWhirter, Chief Executive, UK Green Building Council
The UKGBC’s report is a wake-up call for the nation. It shows that climate change is not a distant threat—it is here now, and its impacts are intensifying. The built environment, which accounts for about 30% of the UK’s carbon emissions, must be transformed to protect people, the economy, and the environment. “Only by all working together to effect change at speed and at scale will we stand any chance of rising to the challenge outlined today,” said Julie Hirigoyen, former UKGBC chief executive.
