-- A newly released report has named the neighbourhoods in London most at risk of overheating. Air Cooling Services Ltd, a leading air conditioning company in Bromley, explains why now is the best time to install air conditioning.
London has published its first heat plan, Heat Ready London, as the capital faces more frequent and severe heatwaves. The analysis found that around one million London homes may be at high risk of overheating, along with 1,361 schools, 60 hospitals and 351 care homes in high heat-risk areas. Earlier this year London recorded an all-time May temperature of 35.1°C, and the city could face two to three times as many heatwaves within 20 years.
The health impact is clear too: nearly 4,000 additional hospital attendances in London during hot weather each summer, alongside an estimated 300 additional preventable deaths a year in the capital.
The report maps overheating down to neighbourhood level. Homes in central boroughs such as Hackney, Tower Hamlets and Islington are at the highest risk, driven by the urban heat island effect and a higher share of flats.
The plan suggests implementing passive measures first, such as shading, ventilation and retrofitting the highest-risk homes. For vulnerable residents, and for rooms where passive steps have been tried and still fall short, mechanical cooling becomes the practical answer.
This is where the technology has moved on. A modern fixed air conditioning unit is a reversible air source heat pump, so one system cools in summer and heats in winter. HMRC guidance confirms that it treats most air conditioning units as air source heat pumps, and a qualifying installation carries 0% VAT until 31 March 2027.
"Future policies will likely increase demand for these air conditioning units too," says Wayne Newman, director at Air Cooling Services Ltd. The Future Homes Standard, due to come into force on 24 March 2027, sets carbon targets that gas boilers cannot meet, moving new homes towards low-carbon heating such as heat pumps.
"People still think of air conditioning as a summer luxury. A modern unit is a reversible heat pump that heats through winter as well, and right now it installs at zero VAT. For a household weighing up comfort and cost, that combination is new," adds Wayne.
With demand set to rise and the 0% VAT window closing in March 2027, homeowners weighing up air conditioning have a clear reason to act sooner rather than later.
About Air Cooling Services Ltd
Air Cooling Services is a family-run air conditioning and heat pump specialist based in Bromley, serving London and the South East. Established in 2008, the company designs, installs and maintains cooling and heating systems for homes and commercial premises. Air Cooling Services is F-Gas registered and works to manufacturer-approved installation standards.
For more information, please refer to the contact details below.
Contact Info:
Name: Wayne Newman
Email: Send Email
Organization: Air Cooling Services Ltd
Address: 130 Castlecombe Road, Bromley, SE9 4AP
Phone: 02079936644
Website: https://aircoolingservicesltd.co.uk/
Release ID: 89199456
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