Highlights

• Zurich UK warns of the dangers of poorly done conversions of commercial buildings into homes that won’t withstand future climate.
• Recent years have seen record temperatures in Europe, 2022 and 2023 being the hottest.
• Some conversions lack ventilation and cooling and will make homes more prone to heatwaves.
• Poorly done conversions will increase health risks, 250% more heat-related deaths by the 2050s.

Following the changes to the planning laws in March that made it easier to convert commercial buildings into residential units, Zurich UK is warning.

They say proper execution is key in these conversions to avoid creating homes that won’t withstand future climate.

This summer may have been short, but temperatures across Europe have been high, continuing the trend of rising maximum temperatures and longer warm spells. According to the Met Office’s State of the UK Climate report, 2022 and 2023 were the warmest years on record, the 10 warmest years since 1884, all occurring after 2002.

Government stats show a big increase in applications to convert commercial offices into residential units in England, up 20% from 1,025 in 2022 to 1,235 in 2023. This follows a 20% rise from 2020 to 2021 as developers looked to reuse offices that were vacant during the pandemic. These applications include all sorts of commercial and business properties, offices, banks, restaurants and shops.

The UK Government is aiming to add 1.5 million new homes in the next few years, and converting unused commercial buildings is seen as one of the options. But, there are concerns about the quality of these conversions. Poor ventilation, no cooling systems, and no external shading will make these homes more prone to heatwaves and higher temperatures. Many of these buildings are in densely populated areas so they will be more exposed to the urban heat island effect and flash flooding.

Zurich UK also notes a high number of escape of water claims in office to residential conversions, often due to substandard plumbing or buildings not designed for multiple kitchens and bathrooms. Research from UCL found that these conversions disproportionately affect vulnerable populations and worsen existing inequalities and occupant’s quality of life.

The Grantham Research Institute at LSE found that 50% of all UK homes are currently at risk of overheating, 90% under a 2°C global warming scenario. While new buildings are now designed to address overheating risks, existing buildings (many of which are old and inefficient) are not. This inefficiency combined with the lack of heatwave resistance is a big health risk, the Climate Change Committee estimates 250% more heat-related deaths by the 2050s.

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Source: Zurich UK