Maha Moustafa Habib Abdelraouf had the opportunity to share her research at Heat Action Day Rotterdam on the 2nd of June 2025. As a PhD candidate at TU Delft, she presented early findings from the recent survey conducted in highly urbanized Dutch municipalities, where residents were asked about their experiences with urban heat.

Key findings include:

1. 45% of Dutch residents report their homes overheat, even during a relatively mild summer.
2. Over 40% believe tackling heat stress requires action at both the household and neighborhood levels.
3. The data highlights renters and single-person households as particularly vulnerable to heat stress.

The discussions at Heat Action Day Rotterdam were insightful. As Dutch cities face challenges such as limited space, an aging housing stock, and shifting demographics, Maha’s research continues to explore how we can ensure that preparedness for and responses to heat stress are prioritised for vulnerable groups and informed by perceptions, spatial and environmental data.

This research is part of Frontrunner project 4: Towards Social and Urban Resilience, and contributes to the broader mission of the Pandemic and Disaster Preparedness Center, that strives to strengthen social and urban resilience. Read more about it here.