Published: January 2026

Extreme heat is no longer a “once-in-a-generation” event.

It’s becoming a regular feature of life in Australia — and one our homes are increasingly struggling to cope with.

Across the country, heatwaves are lasting longer, nights are staying hotter, and extreme temperatures are placing growing pressure on households, energy networks and public health systems. What was once considered an outlier is fast becoming the norm.

In late January 2026, following Australia’s most recent heatwave, Professor Sebastian Pfautsch from Western Sydney University put it plainly:

“With the progression of climate change, Australians can expect extreme heatwaves to scorch towns and cities every other year.”

That statement is backed by a recent World Weather Attribution analysis of Australia’s latest heatwave. The findings are confronting:

• Climate change has made extreme heatwaves around five times more likely
• Events that once occurred roughly every 25 years are now happening every five
• With continued warming, similar heat events are expected every second year
• Natural cooling influences, such as La Niña, are increasingly being overwhelmed by long-term climate warming

In simple terms, the climate assumptions many of our buildings were designed around no longer hold.

More Than a Climate Issue — A Housing and Health Challenge

This isn’t just a climate science problem.

It’s a housing, health and resilience challenge already playing out inside Australian homes.

Buildings designed for yesterday’s conditions are struggling under prolonged heat. We’re seeing:

• Internal temperatures climbing well above safe levels
• Increasing reliance on air-conditioning just to remain habitable
• Greater strain on electricity networks during heat events
• Heightened health risks during multi-day heatwaves, particularly for older people, children, and those with existing health conditions

When homes fail to cool down overnight, the body doesn’t get the recovery it needs. Poor sleep, heat stress and exacerbated respiratory and cardiovascular conditions are becoming common experiences during Australian summers — not rare exceptions.

Heat Risk Is Designed In — or Designed Out

What’s often missing from the conversation is a crucial reality:

how a building performs during extreme heat is largely determined by design.

Key factors include:

• Orientation and solar exposure
• Shading and glazing design
• Insulation levels and thermal mass
• Airtightness and uncontrolled air leakage
• Ventilation strategy and air movement
• Overall building envelope performance

Together, these elements determine whether a home remains liveable during prolonged heat — or becomes dangerously hot.

Once a building is constructed, many of these decisions are difficult, expensive or impossible to undo. This is why relying on mechanical cooling alone is a fragile strategy. Air-conditioning helps, but it ties comfort to energy affordability and grid reliability — both of which are under pressure during extreme heat events.

Designing for Extremes, Not Averages

The question is no longer if extreme heat will shape our towns and cities. That’s already happening.

The real question is:

are our buildings prepared to cope — not just on average days, but during prolonged and compounding heat events?

Designing for climate resilience means shifting our focus:

• Away from minimum compliance based on outdated climate data
• Away from short-term cost thinking that externalises long-term risk
• Towards long-term performance, occupant wellbeing and climate readiness

High-performance building approaches — including strong passive solar design and Passive House principles — show that it’s possible to significantly reduce overheating risk while also improving comfort, indoor air quality and energy efficiency year-round.

A Responsibility of the Built Environment

For those working in the built environment, this moment comes with responsibility.

We have a role to play in:

• Raising expectations of what “good housing” actually means
• Designing buildings that protect people during extreme conditions
• Prioritising long-term health, comfort and resilience over short-term savings

Homes should be places of refuge during heatwaves — not an added source of stress or risk.

A Present-Day Design Challenge

Climate adaptation is no longer a future problem to plan for.

It’s a present-day design challenge we’re already living with — one that will define how safe, comfortable and liveable our homes are in the years ahead.

How we design, approve and build today will determine how well our communities cope tomorrow.