This year, ten days of abnormal heat in Europe led to the deaths of around 2,300 people. Severe flooding on the coast of New South Wales left more than 48,000 people trapped, and forest fires in Los Angeles destroyed at least 16,000 homes and other buildings.
Such events confirm what scientists have long warned about: extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and intense.
Unreliable housing makes us more vulnerable to the effects of climate change. In a world that is getting warmer, it is increasingly important to have housing and housing systems that are resilient to climate risks. This means that houses must protect people from heat, floods and fires, as well as from air pollution. The housing system must enable people to live in affordable and safe housing.
Location also plays a major role. According to Australia’s first National Climate Risk Assessment, released this week, 8.7% of residential buildings are located in very high-risk areas. By 2090, this share could rise to 13.5% in a scenario of significant global warming.
Humanitarian Media Hub provides a translation of an article by Ang Lee, ARC DECRA Research Fellow and Senior Research Fellow at the NHMRC Centre of Excellence for Healthy Housing Research, School of Public Health and Global Population Health, University of Melbourne.
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How climate affects housing and health
Housing and health are closely linked. New research in The Lancet Public Health shows that climate change affects our homes and, through them, our health.
Houses should protect us from external conditions. But sustainable housing and an efficient housing system play a key role in overcoming the challenges of the climate crisis.
Climate change can worsen conditions inside buildings.
- Extreme temperatures can worsen indoor air quality, as building materials deteriorate more quickly and release harmful substances.
- Smoke from fires brings fine particles and other pollutants into homes.
- The heat outside makes the temperature inside unbearable.
Floods, storms and cyclones cause structural and water damage to homes. This can expose residents to toxins from contaminated water, cause allergies and breathing problems, and increase the risk of infectious diseases.
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Residential security under threat
Climate risks affect not only the quality of housing, but also its accessibility and safety.
The high cost and instability of housing are already negatively affecting people’s mental health, and climate change is only exacerbating the problem.
Natural disasters increase housing and living costs. Families are forced to pay mortgages or rent and cover repairs after damage. The increase in extreme weather events leads to higher insurance premiums, which puts pressure on family budgets.
Abnormal heat increases the risk of energy poverty: the inability to cool or heat a home worsens both physical and mental health.
In addition, climate disasters can force people to relocate, leading to broken family ties, loss of income, social isolation and problems accessing services.
Affordable housing is also decreasing, as cheaper rental properties are more likely to suffer from natural disasters due to their lower quality. This complicates the situation for low-income tenants.
In some countries, particularly the United States and Denmark, there is a phenomenon known as “climate gentrification”: areas with lower risks become more attractive, prices there rise, and low-income residents are pushed into more dangerous areas.
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What climate-resilient housing should be like
Buildings must protect people from increased climate risks. They must be sturdy, energy efficient, with high-quality thermal insulation, ventilation and the ability to maintain a comfortable microclimate.
Climate-resilient housing includes:
- reliable foundations, walls and roofs;
- ventilation and insulation;
- energy-efficient heating and cooling;
- external shading and reflective roofs;
- materials that are resistant to fire and heat.
Building regulations must take climate change into account, and existing housing needs to be modernised.
There has been some progress. For example, recent updates to Australia’s National Building Code take climate change into account by raising energy efficiency and insulation requirements.
Stronger tenant protection policies are also needed. Rental housing is often of poor quality, yet it is home to a significant portion of the vulnerable population. Therefore, minimum standards for such housing must be resilient to climate risks.
But climate-resilient housing is not just about construction. It must be affordable, safe and provide people with opportunities for work, education and social connections that support well-being.
In public discussions, much attention is paid to the issue of increasing the amount of housing, but we must not forget that people need not just square metres, but quality homes for a full life.
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