Making future heat actionable - Governing indoor heat in two Swedish construction projects for vulnerable groups

Abstract

This study analyses how future heat risks and thermal indoor climate are handled in construction projects for buildings used by vulnerable groups in Sweden. As heatwaves and high temperatures become more common, buildings designed within a traditionally coldclimate context face new challenges. Since people spend much of their time indoors, the relationship between rising outdoor temperatures and indoor thermal conditions becomes central. Building design affects how heat is distributed and decisions made during construction projects therefore shape future exposure and vulnerability. The study is based on a qualitative comparative case study of two Swedish construction projects: an LSS residential facility in southern Sweden and a combined residential care facility and senior housing project in a larger Swedish municipality. The analysis focuses on how heat risks are translated into requirements, responsibilities, and technical solutions during the construction process. The results show that heat is embedded in technical requirements concerning indoor climate and building performance. However, the future-oriented dimension of heat risk becomes more explicit when these requirements are connected to wider steering signals. The results also show that responsibility for heat management is distributed across actors and project phases. Clients define requirements and levels of ambition, while contractors can identify risks and clarify the consequences of different choices. After handover, parts of heat management may shift to operation and care practices. The study concludes that making heat risk visible does not automatically lead to robust climate adaptation. Heat-related measures must be justified in relation to other project goals, such as economy, energy performance, and practical building constraints. For buildings used by vulnerable groups, the question of sufficiency is therefore central. Technically acceptable solutions may still depend on assumptions about users, staff and future operation. The study shows that future heat management in construction projects is not only a technical challenge, but a sociotechnical issue concerning how protection is distributed in a warmer climate.