Seoul's Seongdong-gu district said it has delivered tangible results in helping residents safely through this summer's record-breaking heat wave by proactively improving cooling facilities and living conditions for climate-vulnerable households before the worst of the heat arrived.
As the climate crisis continues to intensify, the district has been rolling out a range of support measures through its "Climate Change Risk Housing Improvement Support Project," targeting households in particularly vulnerable settings such as semi-basement units and rooftop rooms. The focus has been on getting ahead of summer weather extremes — heat waves and heavy rain alike — to minimize harm and help vulnerable families get through the season safely.
Before the peak heat set in, the district completed support for a total of 220 households in June and July: cool-roof installation for 20 households, air conditioner installation for 50 households, and heating-cooling kit provision for 150 households.
For households most exposed to heat, the district provided "cool roof" installations, an effective method for reducing heat entering a building. The technique involves applying solar-reflective paint to rooftops and roof surfaces to cut heat accumulation. It can lower rooftop surface temperatures by up to 9.2 degrees Celsius and indoor temperatures by about 1.8 degrees Celsius, while reducing summer cooling energy consumption by an average of 26.4 percent — improving living conditions while also cutting energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.
The district began accepting applications in March and selected 20 heat-vulnerable households — including two with welfare recipients, three with residents with disabilities, and 10 with residents aged 65 or older — completing all installations by the end of June, before the peak heat season began.
For households that struggle to afford heating and cooling equipment, the district's "Heating and Cooling Care Support Project" provided air conditioner installations as well as "heating-cooling kits" consisting of a fan, an electric mat, and summer and winter bedding, helping families prepare for both heat waves and cold snaps.
The program began in 2024 with support for 100 rooftop-room households, expanded to 200 semi-basement and rooftop-room households in 2025, and this year again completed support for a total of 200 households.
The district's early action translated into real change for residents during this summer's record heat. One Seongsu-dong resident encountered during a field inspection said, "I had fainted from low blood pressure a month before the air conditioner was installed, so I was really dreading this summer's heat — but thanks to the district office putting in an air conditioner, I've been able to stay comfortable at home."
An elderly resident who received a heating-cooling kit also said, "It's reassuring to know I've made it safely through the summer heat, and that the district has already taken care of my worries about heating in the coming winter."
Seongdong-gu said it will continue to closely monitor households vulnerable to heat waves and cold snaps caused by climate change, and to carry on with tailored housing improvement projects that reflect conditions and feedback from the field.
District Mayor Yoo Bo-hwa said, "The damage caused by climate change — heat waves and the like — hits residents in vulnerable housing first and hardest." She added, "We will continue to stay one step ahead with thorough, targeted support so that households in vulnerable housing can feel secure through every change of season."
seouldream01@heraldcorp.com
