Islington buildings are facing significant challenges in coping with extreme heat, with a lack of consistent funding and a fragmented approach hindering effective adaptation measures. The Environment, Climate and Transport Scrutiny Committee heard that adapting the borough's buildings to rising temperatures presents a complex issue that requires a more coordinated and funded strategy.
The committee was presented with findings from the summer of 2026, which highlighted that heat resilience depends on the interplay between buildings, people, and services. While the council has established practical service adaptations and public health expertise, there are identified gaps in having a predictable annual model, fragmented evidence, and reactive responses. The immediate next step is to agree the pilot scope and resources include delivery responsibilities and any additional funding needs, so that we can target future support and investment.
Councillor Champion inquired about timelines, and it was stated that it's in its infancy at the moment, and I think that the hope is that we can get something in place at least at early stages in the spring. So we're ready for next summer as much as we can be without future funding.
In housing, modelling for Harvist Estate identified 18% of dwellings at risk of overheating. For council housing, the direction of travel is to combine property and resident evidence to identify priority homes and estates for practical measures and investment. Supported accommodation, such as Rosehip House, is also being assessed for heat resilience. Beyond Harvist Estate, other housing types and estates being prioritised include Brunswick Estate, Bevin Court and Holford House, Newbury House, Harry Weston Estate, Jessop Court, and Spa Green. Rosehip House, a supported living accommodation for adults with learning disabilities, experienced heat gains and limited ventilation during summer 2026, leading to recommendations for resident advice and improvements to controls, insulation, and ventilation.
Key gaps identified include a lack of a shared view on which buildings and homes are most at risk, insufficient scale in physical adaptations like external shading and ventilation, and an uneven understanding of heat-specific issues across the organisation. The need for a properly funded, consistent, and targeted programme was emphasised. To address the uneven understanding of heat-specific issues across the organisation,
mandatory Climate Action e-learning will be rolled out to all staff, and further training sessions are scheduled quarterly.
Discussions also touched upon the challenges of securing adequate funding for adaptation measures. Councillors raised concerns about the planning department's approach to external shading, particularly in conservation areas, and the need for greater pragmatism in allowing such measures. The potential for including extreme heat mitigation measures within landlord licensing was also raised.
Various physical adaptations are being considered, including external shading, which is described as an essential resilience measure
and a low-hanging fruit
that residents are enthusiastic about. Specific examples include awnings for sash windows and simple shading devices. However, challenges exist regarding planning regulations in conservation areas, where shading can be perceived as visual clutter.
The planning department is described as being on a journey
with real recognition that making Islington comfortable for people to live is actually really, really, really important.
Officers have committed to working with planning colleagues to smooth out any conversations around shading going forward.
Permissions can restrict external shading for private rented and leasehold homes.
Improvements to ventilation systems are also being considered, with recommendations for ventilation, insulation, and solar film for buildings like the Ecology Centre office. For schools, opportunities to improve shade, including through trees and depaving
have been identified. Solar control coatings and automatic shading are options for buildings with extensive glazing, such as Cally Pool. Portable air conditioning was used in some flats at Rosehip House during summer 2026, and the potential for integrating air conditioning powered by solar PV is being explored. Estimated costs for these adaptations were not explicitly detailed.
The potential implications for residents if adaptation measures are not implemented in a timely manner, particularly for vulnerable populations, were also discussed. The report states that residents' complex needs can limit their responses to heat.
Specific implications mentioned include health risks, with projections indicating a 70 percent
increase in days exceeding 35 degrees Celsius in schools. Welfare checks, hydration, and access to cooler spaces need to sit alongside building measures and targeted cooling where safety requires it.
For schools, adding that additional burden of really hot days when you have to take exams
can impact performance and grades. The overall goal is to make Islington comfortable for people to live.
Read more about Islington's climate action in the Public reports pack.
Minutes of the Environment, Climate and Transport Scrutiny Committee meeting on 21 September 2026
Agenda for the Environment, Climate and Transport Scrutiny Committee meeting on 20 October 2026