What is ClimaCare?
ClimaCare is a research initiative addressing the challenge of adapting UK care settings to climate change. The project brings together an interdisciplinary team of architects, engineers and research scientists to develop a better understanding of the factors that contribute to summertime overheating in care homes and the subsequent negative health impacts.
What has ClimaCare found?
-
The pilot study, conducted over the summer of 2019, found high indoor temperatures throughout all five case study care homes.
-
Overheating was prevalent, regardless of the metric used to define overheating.
-
There was a marked difference between how carers and residents perceived the heat: carers found conditions at times unbearably hot, residents were comfortable even at temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius.
-
Modelling found various passive measures could help to alleviate the overheating, the most effective being night time ventilation.
-
-
The nationwide study has been working with over 45 care homes across England, measuring indoor environment in over 200 rooms and getting staff and resident feedback through thousands of comfort surveys over the summer of 2022.
-
This large sample of the care home population is allowing deeper insights into how room and building characteristics can affect indoor environments - particularly temperatures.