We are building new houses for yesterday's climate
New housing in the Netherlands is frequently built using outdated climate data, causing homes to become dangerously hot during increasingly common heatwaves. Experts warn that current construction regulations are too slow to adapt to climate change, failing to protect vulnerable residents from rising temperatures.
Many new homes in the Netherlands are being designed for a climate that no longer exists, leaving them prone to dangerous overheating. Experts warn that current building regulations rely on historical weather data rather than future climate projections, failing to account for rising temperatures and the urban heat island effect. With roughly ten million people already living in dwellings vulnerable to heat, the risk to public health for the elderly and vulnerable is growing. Although the government plans to update building standards by 2030, critics argue that this timeline is too slow to address the hundreds of thousands of new homes expected to be built in the coming years. Specialists suggest that builders should move beyond mandatory insulation requirements and prioritize external shading, smarter ventilation, and building orientation to keep interiors cool. While air conditioning is a common temporary solution, it remains energy-intensive, and experts urge the construction sector to adopt proactive design strategies now to ensure long-term habitability.
Based on reporting by nu. Translated and condensed by LocalHeadlines.
