A pioneering education programme is empowering primary school children to tackle rising temperatures, by using thermal imaging technology to identify overheating hotspots and design greener, more sustainable school environments.
Developed by Professor Prashant Kumar at the University of Surrey’s Global Centre for Clean Air Research (GCARE), the Heat-Cool programme has been rolled out to more than 500 pupils across seven schools in South East England. The initiative comes as increasingly frequent UK heatwaves highlight the need to adapt public spaces to a warming climate.
Published in Environmental Research Communications, the study saw children aged nine and above use handheld thermal cameras to measure surface temperatures around their schools.
After analysing the data, pupils proposed nature-based solutions, including green roofs, ponds, rain gardens and shaded outdoor areas, to reduce overheating and improve resilience.
Researchers analysed more than 1,700 thermal images covering over 4,300 objects.
The findings showed that natural, water-based and engineered green infrastructure was typically between one and three degrees cooler than surrounding areas, reinforcing the value of green spaces in helping schools adapt to climate change while supporting biodiversity.
Professor Prashant Kumar, Founding Director of GCARE and corresponding author of the study, said: “As the UK experiences hotter summers, we need to think differently about how we prepare schools for a changing climate. Children are among those most affected by extreme heat, yet they’re rarely involved in designing solutions.“
The researchers believe the programme could help schools nationwide reduce heat stress, improve climate literacy and encourage young people to play an active role in creating healthier, lower-emission communities.
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