Over a third of Dutch think their homes aren’t heat-resistant on summer days

Over a third of Dutch people feel their homes are insufficiently protected from the heat on hot summer days, according to a survey by Kieskompas and ANP completed by nearly 20,000 people.

Summer days are characterized by temperatures of 25 degrees Celsius or higher. 35 percent of Dutch people indicate that their homes are not sufficiently heat-resistant. Dissatisfaction is highest in Zuid-Holland, where 41 percent of residents feel their homes are insufficiently protected from the heat. Residents of Drenthe are the least concerned about this at 29 percent.

Due to climate change, temperatures are rising more and more, also inside homes. According to Andy van den Dobbelsteen, a professor of Climate and Sustainability at Delft University of Technology, various measures can be taken to maintain a comfortable temperature. “Think of installing sun blinds or trees and plants that block the sun.” He emphasized the importance of adapting our behavior to the changing climate, including ventilation practices. “We mainly do that during the day now, but it’s better to open the windows at night. Just like they do in southern countries.”

Although there’s increasing attention to climate-resilient construction, there is still much to be gained, Van den Dobbelsteen said. Newly built neighborhoods lack greenery in their early years, while greenery blocks the sun and causes temperatures to drop. Existing trees are usually felled during construction, and then new greenery is planted. “It takes 15 to 20 years for a tree to thrive,” he said. “It would be better to take existing greenery into account in the building plans. Residents will benefit from this immediately.” This rarely happens now because it is more complex for urban planners and architects to design around trees and for contractors to protect greenery during construction.

Dutch homes are also still being built on climate data from an average of 15 years or more ago. “If we build a house now, it will be standing for 50 to 100 years. We need to build as if it were already 2050, with the corresponding climate scenarios from the Royal Nehterlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI),” Van den Dobbelsteen said.

The survey was conducted between July 2 and 7 by Kieskompas and was completed by a representative group of 19,210 Dutch adults. They gave their opinions on the statement: “My home is sufficiently protected from the heat during summer days (25 degrees Celsius or higher.”