London is facing an architectural crisis as record breaking heat waves clash with a city designed for winter. With only 7 percent of homes equipped with air conditioning, residents and expats are struggling to cope with rising temperatures and urban heat islands. The UK government and the Climate Change Committee are now debating the balance between energy consumption and public health. While passive cooling and heat pumps are preferred for sustainability, the increasing frequency of extreme heat is forcing a rethink of building regulations and cooling subsidies.
