National hub for net zero, health and extreme heat
The HEARTH hub will lead research into the health outcomes of net zero, to reduce the health risks associated with extreme heat within vulnerable communities.
Its research will evaluate the impact of net zero building design in people’s homes, in care settings, hospitals and prisons.
HEARTH’s collaborative project will develop practical solutions to decarbonisation that support both public health and the climate.
Professor Cathryn Birch at the School of Earth and Environment is a project co-lead and will oversee the provision of weather and climate information to the other disciplines in the Hub.
She will conduct new research on the health impacts of co-occurring weather extremes, such as heatwaves and poor air quality.
She said: “It is virtually certain that heatwaves in the UK will become more common and more dangerous in the future due to climate change. We must move towards net zero greenhouse gas emissions as quickly as possible to reduce the risk of heat extremes.
“There is great potential for health co-benefits when redesigning buildings to meet net-zero targets. I am excited to be developing the future heatwave scenarios required to quantify them.”
Balancing net zero with heatwave risks
Heatwaves occur in summer almost every year.
Hot days alongside nights that do not cool down pose a serious health risk to human health, especially in vulnerable populations such as older adults, people with chronic health conditions, and individuals experiencing homelessness.
To meet national net zero targets, existing buildings require retrofitting, and the design of new buildings needs to change.
These changes have multiple consequences, both positive and negative, for human health and the climate.
For example, increasing insulation could mean that people need less energy for heating, but it could also make buildings warmer in the summer, worsening the health effects of heatwaves.
Maximising health and climate benefits
HEARTH will focus on maximising co-benefits for the communities most vulnerable to heat extremes.
The hub brings together over 30 public, private and third-sector partners to share knowledge and collaborate on tools and solutions.
The core organisations include Oxford Brookes University, Forest Research, Greater London Authority, London School of Economics and Political Science, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Oxfordshire County Council, Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust, University College London, the University of Edinburgh, and the University of Leeds.
HEARTH is one of seven transdisciplinary research hubs across the UK that has received investment from The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) to embed health in the UK’s transition to net zero.
