next
previous
items
eea flag
Home
Topics
Analysis and data
Countries
Newsroom
About us

News

Europe's heatwaves: How to keep buildings cool sustainably?

News Published 10 Nov 2022 Last modified 16 Mar 2023
1 min read
Photo: © Lucian Dachman on Unsplash
Europe’s temperatures are rising more than twice as fast as the global average with more and more extreme heatwaves being recorded. The demand for sustainable cooling in buildings is increasing and, according to a European Environment Agency (EEA) briefing, published today, there is a need for buildings that are energy efficient, use passive cooling solutions and can protect people from heatwaves and contribute to human health and well-being.

The EEA briefing ‘Cooling buildings sustainably in Europe’ analyses how to best alleviate heat stress in buildings and its potential impacts on vulnerable groups, health and inequalities and at same time decrease the energy use.

Heatwaves, urbanisation and ageing populations can prompt a heavy use of active cooling in buildings, which is inefficient, socially inequitable and increases energy use. Prioritising passive cooling solutions, improving energy efficiency of buildings, communicating on individual good practices and promoting urban cooling solutions, such as green and blue public spaces, are more sustainable solutions to address heat stress, the EEA briefing states.

Moreover, targeting vulnerable groups would minimise negative health impacts from heat stress and reduce inequalities and energy poverty. When active cooling is necessary, cooling systems should be as efficient as possible, low carbon and equitably accessible by vulnerable and other groups. According to the EEA briefing, current EU policies development and the renovation wave offer key opportunities to ensure low-carbon cooling solutions that are socially just and strengthen societal resilience.

Recent EEA report shows that more frequent heatwaves and increasing vulnerability of the population will lead to a substantial increase in adverse health impacts in Europe unless adaptation measures are taken. An earlier EEA analysis showed that heatwaves caused about 77 000-129 000 deaths in Europe during the past 40 years, representing about 90% of all climate-related fatalities.

The new EEA briefing is based on a study conducted by Ramboll for the EEA, as well as past EEA work and contributions from the EIONET network.

Related content

News and articles

Related briefings

Briefing Cooling buildings sustainably in Europe: exploring the links between climate change mitigation and adaptation, and their social impacts Across Europe, rising temperatures, combined with an ageing population and urbanisation, mean that the population is becoming more vulnerable to heat and that demand for cooling in buildings is rising rapidly. Buildings, as long-lasting structures, can offer protection from heatwaves and high temperatures if appropriately designed, constructed, renovated and maintained. The summer of 2022, with its successive long heatwaves and high energy prices, may have raised the sense of urgency given to the alleviation of heat stress. But there is a gap in knowledge on the extent of overheating in buildings and data and information is scarce regarding the share of EU citizens unable to keep their homes comfortably cool during the summer. This briefing examines key elements of sustainable cooling policy, and its potential impacts on vulnerable groups, by reducing health risks, inequalities and summer energy poverty.
Briefing Towards ‘just resilience’: leaving no one behind when adapting to climate change Despite efforts to adapt to climate change in Europe, the most vulnerable groups in society are still the most affected. Projected climate change, an ageing society and persisting socio-economic inequalities mean that differences in vulnerability and exposure to climate change are likely to continue. In addition, adaptation responses may worsen existing inequalities or even create new ones. This briefing looks at how climate change affects vulnerable groups and how these impacts can be prevented or reduced through equitable adaptation actions. It also presents examples of equity-oriented policies and measures from across Europe.
Briefing Economic losses and fatalities from weather- and climate-related events in Europe The EU adaptation strategy aims to build resilience and ensure that Europe is well prepared to manage the risks from and adapt to the impacts of climate change, including limiting economic losses and other harm. All regions of Europe face economic losses and fatalities from weather and climate extremes every year. To support policy processes on climate change adaptation, data on these losses must be collected and reported across EEA member countries and in a coherent way over decades.

Related publications

Publication Climate change as a threat to health and well-being in Europe: focus on heat and infectious diseases This report draws on knowledge developed for the European Climate and Health Observatory. It focuses on the impact high temperatures are having on the population, as well as another emerging threat: the spread of climate-sensitive infectious diseases.
Publication Building renovation: where circular economy and climate can meet Buildings are important in EU environmental and climate policy for several reasons, including their greenhouse gas emissions and high consumption of material resources. Improved design and building techniques will produce highly efficient new buildings but more than 85% of today’s buildings are likely to still be in use in 2050.
Publication Economic losses and fatalities from weather and climate-related events in Europe The EU adaptation strategy aims to build resilience and ensure that Europe is well prepared to manage the risks and adapt to the impacts of climate change, including limiting economic losses and other harms. Europe is facing economic losses and fatalities from weather and climate extremes every year and in all regions of Europe. The data on losses and fatalities is not yet collected or reported in sufficient quality across the EU Member States to support policy decisions, however some private companies collect these data. EEA has access to 2 of these private sources with data for 1980-2020: NatCatSERVICE from Munich Re (since 2012) and CATDAT from Risklayer (since 2021).
Publication Fluorinated greenhouse gases 2021 Fluorinated greenhouse gases (F-gases) contribute to climate change and in 2019 made up 2.3% of total EU greenhouse gas emissions. F-gases have a range of applications, particularly in the refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump sector. Most F-gases have much higher global warming potentials than other greenhouse gases. This briefing outlines the important trends in the EU supply of F-gases for the period 2007-2020 and monitors progress under the hydrofluorocarbon phase-down schemes of the F-gas Regulation and the Montreal Protocol.
Publication Exploring the social challenges of low-carbon energy policies in Europe For climate change mitigation policies to be successful in reducing greenhouse gas emissions their potential social implications need to be considered and addressed. Together with multiple-level governance coordination and societal participation, these are the key success factors to achieve win-win social-climate policies, minimise the unfair impacts of carbon and energy taxes, and maximise environmental and health benefits.
Publication Nature-based solutions in Europe: Policy, knowledge and practice for climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction Working with nature can help prevent the worst impacts of climate change, and biodiversity and ecosystem loss. Nature-based solutions offer ways to do this. Science and policy have begun to recognise their potential. The knowledge base is expanding rapidly, with gaps identified and plans to fill them. However, challenges for implementation remain at the local level, as demonstrated by the case studies in this report.
Publication Urban adaptation in Europe EEA assessment report presenting the status quo of adaptation to climate change at the local government level, with particular focus on cities. The assessment presents the overview of climate risks to cities, types of adaptation responses, extent of adaptation planning and actions at the loal level in Europe and opportunities to scale up and speed up implementation of adaptation to climate change at the local level.
Publication Adaptation challenges and opportunities for the European energy system Building a climate‑resilient low‑carbon energy system
Publication Unequal exposure and unequal impacts Unequal exposure and unequal impacts: social vulnerability to air pollution, noise and extreme temperatures in Europe

Permalinks

Geographic coverage

Temporal coverage

For references, please go to https://www.eea.europa.eu/highlights/europes-heatwaves-how-to-keep or scan the QR code.

PDF generated on 28 May 2023, 07:56 PM

EEA Page URL QR

Topics

Document Actions
The EEA is an agency of the European Union

Engineered by: EEA Web Team

Software updated on 12 March 2023 21:56 from version 23.1.28

Software version: EEA Plone KGS 23.3.11

Code for developers

Systems Status

Legal notice

Creative commons license

CMS login