ACP insights & guidance
Housing climate resilience depends on the people who use the building as well as its physical design. Two residents in similar homes can experience heat or cold differently because of health, mobility, time spent at home, or their ability to use windows and controls. An adaptation brief should make those differences visible.
The Government Office for Science’s 2026 evidence review examines how social science can inform climate adaptation. In England, the government has also set out social housing guidance for Phase 2 of Awaab’s Law, with a stated implementation date of 30 November 2026. Landlord response duties and development design requirements have distinct legal routes. Confirm the operative rules for the decision in hand.
Connect three kinds of evidence
- Exposure. Identify where homes may become too hot or cold. Record orientation, shading, ventilation, indoor conditions and outdoor constraints. Consider common spaces and the route to cooler outdoor areas where relevant.
- Ability to respond. Check who can adjust controls, open windows safely or move to a cooler room. Include people whose mobility, health or caring responsibilities affect their options.
- Building operation. Agree who monitors conditions, maintains equipment and responds to recurring problems. Plan how residents can report problems and how the owner will use the evidence.
Test the operation of a proposed measure
Suppose a scheme relies on night ventilation. The thermal assessment assumes occupants can leave windows open. The acoustics and design teams find that the windows face a noisy route and some residents may be reluctant to use them at night. Bring these findings together before adopting the ventilation assumption. Consider alternatives and identify who will explain the final strategy to occupants.
For existing housing, start with available maintenance records, resident feedback and evidence from affected dwellings. Prioritise the investigation and response through the responsible housing team. For a new scheme, record design changes in the drawings and specifications. Then keep the assumptions in the handover information.
Keep a record the next team can use
Record the condition, residents likely to be affected, the measure, how it will be checked and the responsible person. Keep the assessment of indoor conditions, the planning or building-control evidence and any landlord response requirements clearly identifiable.
Common question
Is a thermal model enough to identify who is vulnerable?
The model describes conditions under its assumptions. Add evidence about how residents can use the building and respond to extreme temperatures.
References and scope
- MHCLG, Awaab’s Law Phase 2 guidance for social landlords
- Government Office for Science, Putting people at the centre of UK climate adaptation and resilience, 28 July 2026
Discuss the project brief
Share the current design or building information and the vulnerability questions you need the evidence to address.