Lessons in Heat Resilience from Higham Hill Hub
As rising temperatures and heatwaves in the UK become more frequent and severe, community buildings need to adapt to continue to provide safe and shared spaces for local residents.
A new community centre is being designed by Studio Dera in north-east London to replace current facilities housed in a portacabin on an old bowling green. The building will contain a nursery, flexible space for community activities and a large hall for meetings, exhibitions and performances.
With the new building came an opportunity to affect positive climate action in the local community and ask how we can keep people safe and comfortable in extreme heat. We wanted to do this through natural methods and without relying on energy-intensive air conditioning and mechanical systems.
This started with a holistic approach, considering the whole building to help design for comfort year-round. Lowering running costs and minimising environmental impact. Alongside this we also wanted to explore how the building could align with net zero carbon goals, both in operation and in embodied energy.
Letting the building breathe
Designing natural ventilation methods was key to our approach. High-level openings and cross-breezes were introduced to remove heat passively and avoid dependence on energy-intensive mechanical systems. This approach is simple and has been used for centuries to help cool buildings. But it is often overlooked in new developments despite being vital for reducing temperatures in a warming climate.
We also evaluated the materials used, not only for their embodied carbon, but for how they influence internal temperature and thermal stability, through the use of thermal mass. Many lightweight modern structures overheat quickly and retain heat long after it’s needed. Working with Studio Dera we established a material palette of natural, thermally efficient materials that would help to keep temperatures low within the building.
Working with hempcrete
We were presented with an exciting opportunity to explore the use of hempcrete in the project, a breathable, bio-based material that naturally stores carbon during the growth of the hemp plant and offers high thermal mass.
To fully understand its thermal performance, we worked in partnership with University College London (UCL) researchers to analyse how hempcrete could improve thermal comfort during heatwaves, while keeping the building aligned to meet its net zero targets.
This collaborative research process helped lay the groundwork for seeking innovation funding, and provided valuable insights into hempcrete’s role in climate-adaptive community design. Compared to conventional concrete blockwork, hempcrete offered lower embodied carbon and helped reduce peak indoor temperatures, without the reliance for active cooling.
A model for community climate action
Higham Hill Hub demonstrates that we can design community buildings to be resilient, inclusive, and low-carbon. With natural ventilation, passive design, and regenerative materials like hempcrete, we can protect vulnerable groups from rising heat, while creating affordable spaces that support community wellbeing.