When conversations turn to climate change, attention often focuses on floods, wildfires or soaring temperatures. But Professor Ronita Bardhan believes the real frontline lies much closer to home.
"The built environment is the largest non-pharmaceutical intervention for climate health," says the Cambridge academic, whose research explores the intersection of buildings, climate change and public health. Her work argues that homes, neighbourhoods and cities are not just places we live, they are powerful tools that can prevent illness before it starts.
Using heat as a lens, Prof Bardhan explains that climate-related health risks are shaped as much by design as by rising temperatures. A heatwave becomes dangerous not simply because it is hot, but because poorly designed homes trap heat, lack ventilation and leave vulnerable residents with no escape.
Simple, passive design measures such as building orientation, external shading, thermal mass and cross-ventilation can dramatically reduce indoor temperatures without increasing energy bills. "Thermal safety and respiratory health should not be treated as separate design challenges," she says, pointing to her research showing how housing design also influences diseases such as tuberculosis.
The solutions extend beyond individual homes. Well-planned urban greening, cooler public spaces and blue-green infrastructure can lower temperatures while improving air quality, encouraging physical activity and strengthening mental wellbeing. But Prof Bardhan cautions against superficial fixes. "Simply planting more trees is not enough," she says. Cooling depends on thoughtful placement, canopy structure and selecting the right species for local climates.
Her research also highlights a frequently overlooked dimension of climate change: gender.
Across several countries in the Global South, Prof Bardhan's studies found that women spend nearly 58% more time indoors than men due to caregiving responsibilities and household work. As a result, women often experience the greatest exposure to dangerous indoor heat, despite climate policies largely focusing on outdoor temperatures.
Prof Bardhan stresses that governments must shift from reacting to climate emergencies to preventing them. That means embedding thermal safety into affordable housing through better ventilation, passive cooling, shaded neighbourhoods and heat-resilient materials. Equally important, she argues, is ensuring women help design these solutions. "Designing with women, rather than simply for women, leads to more effective and equitable climate adaptation."
Looking ahead, Prof Bardhan believes cities should prioritise three transformative changes: treat healthy, climate-resilient housing as essential public health infrastructure; create neighbourhoods that minimise climate exposure before it becomes a health crisis; and use integrated housing, environmental and health data to target support where it is needed most.
While much of the world looks to advanced technology for climate solutions, Prof Bardhan believes valuable lessons already exist in South Asia.
For generations, communities have adapted to extreme heat through courtyards, verandas, natural ventilation, clothing, food habits and daily routines that minimise heat exposure. As Britain faces hotter summers, she argues it cannot rely solely on air conditioning. Instead, it should adapt South Asia's traditions of passive, climate-responsive design to British conditions.
"The future is not about one region teaching another," Prof Bardhan says. "It is about combining South Asia's lived experience with the UK's scientific and institutional expertise to build healthier, more equitable and climate-resilient communities."
