Persistent heatwaves across the United Kingdom are bringing new urgency to the national conversation regarding the use of air conditioning and the limitations of traditional housing. For many residents, particularly those in older buildings, the inability to mitigate rising indoor temperatures has become a significant public health concern.
Mandy Bourne, a resident of a top-floor social housing flat in the West Midlands, describes the daily struggle she and her 80-year-old mother face during periods of intense heat. Living in a structure built with solid brick, she notes that the building absorbs and retains warmth, radiating it back into their living space long after the sun has set. This persistent heat creates an environment that never adequately cools down.
For Bourne, the physical toll is immediate. She manages a chronic lung condition, specifically COPD, which is severely exacerbated by the overheating flat. She explains that the temperature spikes often trigger breathing difficulties, forcing her to rely on her inhaler frequently. Mandy says she is constantly reaching for her inhaler as her flat overheats. "It's red hot in the flat. The sun is just beaming in," leaving her and her mother struggling to cope with the trapped heat.
How the UK's extreme heat is shifting the conversation about air-con
Across the UK, solid brick homes like theirs quietly absorb heat the way they have for decades. Charged‑up walls radiate warmth back into rooms that never get the chance to cool.
