The UK construction industry has traditionally treated weather-related risk as a winter issue. Programmes, risk registers and contracts often account for storms, flooding and freezing temperatures. Extreme heat, by contrast, rarely receives the same level of attention. That position is becoming increasingly difficult to sustain given recent events.

Heatwaves are occurring more frequently and with greater intensity. Alongside broader climate-related pressures and requirements, they are influencing how projects are procured, designed, delivered and operated. Yet many of the industry’s assumptions, from productivity allowances and programme contingencies to applicable standards and contractual risk allocation, typically remain rooted in historical approaches and weather patterns. The question for the industry is no longer whether temperatures are rising. Instead, it is whether the UK is building for a climate that no longer exists.

The immediate effects of high temperatures are most visible on site. Heat can reduce productivity, prompt revised working patterns and increase requirements for rest or hydration breaks. Heat can complicate temperature-sensitive activities, including concrete works, asphalt laying and the application of adhesives. Fire risk, plant performance, storage requirements and logistics may also be impacted.

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