A ‘heat-dome’ descending over western Europe could deliver temperatures reaching up to 40C in England – but one type of home is better at staying cool
Homeowners with properties constructed before 1901 hold a distinct advantage during the current heatwave – according to an architect. A ‘heat-dome’ descending over western Europe could deliver temperatures reaching up to 40C across certain areas of England and Wales during the middle of the week, the Met Office has warned.
Temperatures during this latest heatwave are expected to surpass the June record established in Hampshire in 1976 by several degrees and might approach the UK’s all-time peak of 40.3C which was recorded in July 2022.
Various homeowners will be adopting numerous tactics to remain cool, including fans, shutting windows and curtains at strategic moments, and even utilising hot water bottles placed in the freezer. However, certain residents possess a natural advantage – and that’s if their property was constructed between 1837 and 1901 – during the Victorian era.
Writing on The Conversation website, Ben Roberts Senior Lecturer in School of Architecture, Building and Civil Engineering, Loughborough University explained: “Victorian homes were constructed long before the complex computer models used today to design buildings were invented. Yet, these homes, built over 100 years ago, are cooler in summer than many built more recently.”
One problem is that, in numerous instances, they were initially equipped with shutters. Mr Roberts explained: “Many Victorian homes featured external wooden shutters to block the sun’s heat before it entered the building. The Victorians knew that blocking the sun’s heat before it enters the building is among the best ways to reduce overheating. Few homes built in the 20th century in the UK have external shutters on windows, partly because modern homes use outward-opening hinged casement windows which cannot be used with external shutters.”
“Homes in southern and central Europe have tended to keep their external shutters, because they have historically faced hotter summers than the UK.”
He noted that numerous properties in the Mediterranean feature comparable fittings — and Britain will probably experience a far more similar climate in the years ahead.
Sash windows can prove advantageous, he pointed out. This is due to their ability to generate a particular airflow that helps cool the property.
Mr Roberts elaborated: “Ventilation can bring in cooler outdoor air (usually at night) and reduce overheating. The Victorians used sliding sash windows which could be operated even with the external shutters closed.
“Sash windows are particularly effective because they have a separate operable upper and lower portion which allows for hot air to leave the home at the top and cooler air to enter at the bottom. With hinging casement windows on modern homes the air coming in is often blocked by the air going out, so they don’t keep homes as cool.”
Natural ventilation levels also help keep properties cooler – particularly because many feature fireplaces and were originally designed to allow air circulation. He explained: “With open fires burning in winter, the Victorians designed their homes to bring in lots of outdoor air for combustion and several open chimneys to carry the smoke away.
“These types of homes, with open chimneys, suspended timber floors, and uninsulated solid brick walls, are the leakiest and least airtight homes in the British housing stock. This allows more air to enter the building, even when windows are closed, which can cool the home in summer if it is cooler outside than inside. The suspended timber floors also store cool air under the building during the day to provide a cooling effect.”
He explained that modern homes aren’t built in the same manner due to central heating systems. Finally, he shed light on their construction methods.
He said: “Walk into an ancient church on a hot day and you may mistakenly think they’ve installed air-conditioning. The real reason for the instant cool feeling is in the huge amounts of thermal mass – the ability of the building to store heat within the building fabric.
“There has been a fundamental shift in the way houses are constructed in the UK. Victorian homes had solid brick or stone external and internal partition walls – so high thermal mass. These walls were able to soak up and store the heat of the day to keep the indoor temperature cool.”
With UK new builds packed with plasterboard and lightweight timber because it’s cheaper and they can be put up more rapidly, they don’t have that advantage. To read the full article click here.