22/06/2026
Today my daughter's school closed because of the Red Alert heat warning.
I sat there thinking how extraordinary it is that we have reached a point where extreme heat is disrupting our lives, and yet we still often talk about retrofit as if it is some niche sustainability concept.
It isn't.
Retrofit is about creating healthy, safe and resilient buildings that can cope with the reality of the world we now live in.
When temperatures rise to dangerous levels, the difference between a building that overheats and one that remains comfortable is not luck. It is design. It is ventilation. It is materials. It is understanding building physics.
This is why the work of the Retrofit Action For Tomorrow (RAFT) campaign, led by the brilliant Harry Paticas and his team, matters so much. RAFT is helping to shine a light on the fact that our buildings need to be prepared not only for winter but for increasingly hot summers too.
Only 27 days ago they launched The Cooler Schools Campaign, please sign it and share your stories on their pallet
https://www.retrofitaction.org.uk/coolerschools
https://padlet.com/RAFTPADLET/cooler-schools-lj4c4brwfmwj5vx8
The materials we choose matter.
Many people are surprised to learn that some insulation materials can slow heat transfer for far longer than others. Materials with higher thermal mass and greater decrement delay can help keep homes and schools cooler for much longer during heatwaves.
Some natural insulation materials can delay heat movement through a building for many hours, helping to protect occupants from overheating.
Ventilation matters too.
Yet how many schools still rely on opening windows and hoping for a breeze?
Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR) should not be seen as a luxury in educational buildings. Good ventilation improves air quality, supports concentration, reduces pollutants and can form part of an effective strategy for creating healthier learning environments throughout the year.
We have spent decades focusing on keeping buildings warm. We now need to focus equally on keeping them safe during extreme heat.
This is why I care so deeply about retrofit.
Not because of energy bills.
Not because of carbon targets.
But because retrofit sits at the intersection of health, comfort, resilience and quality of life.
It is the missing piece of the renovation puzzle.
For too long, homeowners have been encouraged to renovate without understanding how a building works as a whole system. Retrofit changes that. It helps us create homes that are healthier, more comfortable, cheaper to run and better prepared for the future.
That is exactly why Her Own Space.com exists.
To help women homeowners understand the value of retrofit, ask better questions, make informed decisions and create homes that truly support the wellbeing of the people who live in them.
Because every family deserves a home that works with them, not against them.
And on a day when schools are closing because of heat, that feels more important than ever.
