The June Heat Wave Cost The U.K. Economy Over $1.5 Billion

Many respondents reported a number of adaptations to deal with the heat—be it changing the hours they worked, the effort they put into working, where they work, or their commute. Forty-nine percent of workers said they had access to air conditioning, while 27% said their employers made changes to the work environment to cool it down—like installing A.C., increasing ventilation, or providing shade.

“We’ve got very clear evidence that adaptation measures do successfully reduce how many hours are lost to heat, and adaptation measures do successfully protect workers’ health to some extent,” says Robinson. 

Even still, the findings point to a country unprepared for heat waves—which are only expected to grow more frequent and intense with climate change. The U.K. is particularly vulnerable when it comes to heat waves. Much of the country’s housing stock is old, and built for a much cooler climate. Buildings were designed to keep heat in, turning them into furnaces during the now more frequently occurring heat waves. “The U.K. is built for a country that’s cold and not too hot, and now we’re having [what feels like] Mediterranean weather with buildings that are built to keep us warm, not to cool us down,” says Robinson.