Keeping our cool: Preventing overheated buildings in the climate crisis

Abstract

In the face of worsening heat waves, typical weather, power outages, urban heat, etc., how will our buildings perform and shelter us over their lifecycle? To capture the health and productivity co-benefits and reduce liability, climate resilience and adaptation must be integrated into low energy, healthy building, and building decarbonization efforts.

This presentation will summarize health risks from climate change and overheating in buildings, and the various design guidelines and standards to limit overheating in buildings. It will also give several examples of how “climate ready” buildings with low overheating risk can be achieved cost effectively in new and existing buildings.

Speaker

Tom Phillips is a consultant on healthy, sustainable buildings. For over three decades, he worked for California’s air pollution and energy agencies on indoor environmental quality, health risk reduction, and healthy green buildings. Since 2011, he has focused on climate resilience, adaptation, and mitigation in buildings and communities, especially on indoor extreme heat, health, and productivity. Current projects include preventing overheating of buildings under current and future climates and power outages, and reducing indoor pollution from cooking and outdoor pollutant sources. He also advises local, state, national, and international NGOs and research groups, and supports local bicycling growth. Tom’s current mantras are Show Me the Data, and Seek the Shade External.