How the growth of the senior living sector is changing the role of HVAC
The UK's ageing population is creating one of commercial real estate's fastest-growing sectors. As developers respond with new retirement communities, extra care housing and later living schemes, attention is naturally focused on the scale of the opportunity.
Less attention has been paid to what these buildings need to deliver once they are occupied.
The numbers tell their own story. More than one in five people in the UK will be over the age of 65 within the next two decades, while the population aged over 75 is expected to increase by 38% by 2040.
Yet the supply of suitable senior living accommodation continues to fall well short of demand, creating one of the country's most significant long-term development opportunities.
For developers, investors and design teams, this presents a challenge that extends well beyond increasing the number of homes available.
The next generation of senior living developments must support healthier, more independent lives while meeting increasingly demanding sustainability objectives. That changes the brief for building services engineers.
Residents need comfortable buildings to live in that also help reduce energy costs and carbon
Mike Egan Business Development Manager
Buildings that support wellbeing
Senior living has evolved considerably over recent years. Modern developments are no longer defined simply by accommodation; they provide communities where residents can remain active, independent and socially connected for longer.
The indoor environment plays an important role in achieving that ambition.
Older people typically spend more time indoors than younger generations and are more vulnerable to the effects of both cold and excessive heat. Good thermal comfort, fresh air, reliable hot water and intuitive controls all contribute to creating buildings that residents find comfortable, safe and easy to live in.
At the same time, operators are under pressure to manage energy costs while reducing operational carbon. This is where technology such as heat pumps can provide low-carbon options for heating and hot water, for example, Mitsubishi Electric’s residential and commercial ranges are applicable across a range of property sizes. Some models can supply up to 70oC, removing the need for on-site boilers. Our modular CAHV heat pumps also make installation easier where developments are in urban areas and plant space is tight.
A building that maintains comfortable conditions throughout the year while operating efficiently benefits residents, facilities managers and investors.
Designing for every season
Historically, heating has dominated discussions around residential building services in the UK. Reliable space heating and domestic hot water remain fundamental requirements for senior living developments, particularly as many residents may be more susceptible to cold-related health issues.
Climate change, however, is expanding the conversation.
The extreme heat of summer 2026 has highlighted the growing challenge of overheating across many building types, particularly in homes designed to retain heat during winter. For older residents, prolonged periods of high temperatures present genuine health risks, making year-round thermal comfort an increasingly important design consideration.
This creates an opportunity to think differently about heating systems. Modern heat pumps can provide highly efficient heating and domestic hot water while also offering cooling when conditions require it.
Rather than viewing cooling as a separate building service, developers can consider integrated systems that maintain comfortable indoor temperatures throughout the year using a single technology platform.
Good building design remains the first priority. Solar control, shading, natural ventilation and appropriate building fabric all help to minimise overheating.
But where additional cooling is beneficial, particularly in communal lounges, restaurants, wellness areas or apartments with challenging solar gain, heat pump technology provides an efficient solution that complements wider decarbonisation objectives.
Healthy air matters too
Comfort is only one part of creating healthy indoor environments. As buildings become more energy efficient and airtight, ventilation becomes increasingly important. Good indoor air quality supports occupant wellbeing while helping to manage humidity and maintain fresh internal environments without unnecessary heat loss.
Mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR) systems provide an effective way of achieving this balance. By recovering heat from extracted air before introducing fresh outdoor air, systems such as Mitsubishi Electric's Lossnay range help maintain indoor air quality while supporting energy efficiency objectives.
Another useful Lossnay feature is the cooling unit, which can be used where needed, for example in south-facing apartments where orientation adds to the overheating problem. This helps to keep indoor temperatures to the required maximum. The Lossnay cooling unit is self-contained, with no outdoor unit, making it ideal for apartments. It also has an interface controller including temperature sensing to automate operation without the need for occupant interaction.
By looking at heating, cooling and ventilation as a single system, engineers can design an indoor environmental strategy to support health and wellbeing.
Future-ready senior living
The senior living developments being designed today will continue serving residents for decades. During that time they will experience a changing climate, evolving regulation and rising expectations around health, wellbeing and building performance.
Creating buildings that support independent living therefore requires more than meeting today's design standards. It demands an integrated approach to heating, hot water, cooling and indoor air quality that delivers comfort throughout the year while supporting long-term operational efficiency.
For Mitsubishi Electric, this reflects a broader shift taking place across commercial real estate.
As demographic change reshapes the built environment, HVAC systems are becoming more than building services. They are helping create places where people can live healthier, more comfortable and more independent lives.
Mike Egan is Business Development Manager
