Climate Shelters Network
Climate shelters are spaces where you can shelter from the heat during the summer and from the cold during the winter. Most of them are open all year round.
Excessive, sustained heat increases mortality and health problems, especially among older people, babies, people with chronic illnesses or those with limited resources. The climate emergency is leading to more frequent, more intense heat waves. For this reason, the Barcelona City Council has created a network of more than 350 climate shelters.
Map of currently available climate shelters. Check the opening times before going there
What are the climate shelters like?
They are spaces where you can shelter from the heat or cold whilst they also maintain their habitual uses.
Some are indoor spaces, like libraries or civic centres, and others are outdoors, like parks or block interiors.
They are all free to enter, apart from the municipal swimming pools, which have fixed public-sector prices and subsidies.
They have good accessibility, and they should preferably have chairs or benches where you can sit down and free water to drink.
In the indoor spaces, it is recommended to maintain a set temperature in the air conditioning system of 26 ºC during the summer months and 21 ºC in winter.
They are NOT intended for people who require medical attention, who should go to the appropriate healthcare centre.
Some of them have activities or readings to make your time there more pleasant
They are duly sign-posted with this symbol.
Cold weather advice
- Remember to set your heating at between 18 and 21ºC and adapt the temperature to the way you use the various rooms in your home.
- Regulate the heating taking into account the way you use your home and its characteristics to avoid wasting energy.
- Remember to bleed all radiators at the start of winter to help improve their performance.
- Install reflectors behind wall mounted radiators as this helps to reduce energy consumption.
- When you ventilate your home, do so for a maximum of ten minutes to clear the air. If you can, air your home at midday so as not to let in so much cold.
- During the evening and at night when there is no sun, remember to close your blinds, porch doors and curtains. This helps to insulate and lock in heat in your home.
- Think about which rooms in your home need to be heated (where people spend the most time), and close doors so the heat won’t escape.
- During the cold season, we may choose to use thicker curtains to reduce heat loss through windows and use mats on the floor.
- Wrap up warm when it is cold and wear suitable clothing for the season both outside and inside the home.