MET OFFICE News
Release issued by COI News Distribution Service on 24 April 2009
Climate change
will have a dramatic effect on the way we build houses in the
future. At Grand Designs Live, London the Met Office will show you
why new houses must be designed to reduce their carbon footprint.
The houses we build today will need to be ready for the
challenges of climate change, such as extreme summer heat,
increased risk of damaging storms and the a risk of summer and
winter flooding.
Visitors can present a forecast with a difference from the Met
Office TV studio, situated in the Grand Village. The forecast will
show just how much climate change will affect the UK's
weather in the future due to our actions today. Met Office climate
scientists will also be there to advise on what changes we can
make to adapt and mitigate for climate change.
Mark McCarthy, Urban Climate specialist said "We are already
committed to some warming here in the UK so it's very
important to start building new homes with climate change in mind.
We need to design homes that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions
to combat global warming, and that are future-proofed to be
comfortable places to live both now and in the future."
The houses at Grand Designs will help show you what you can do to
prepare for climate change such as:
* Building an elevated house on stilts to minimise the risk of flooding
* Using natural heat and light through the seasons to control the
temperature of your home to cope with extreme summer heat
* Use materials and technologies to minimise the carbon impact of
your home and help limit further climate change.
ENDS
For further information contact Met Office Press Office 01392
886655 or email pressoffice@metoffice.gov.uk Notes:
* The Met Office is the UK's National Weather Service,
providing 24x7 world-renowned scientific excellence in weather,
climate and environmental forecasts and severe weather warnings
for the protection of life and property.
* The Met Office Hadley Centre is the UK's foremost centre
for climate change research. Partly funded by Defra (the
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) and the
Ministry of Defence.