Global average temperature
Global average temperature (or global average surface temperature) is an estimate of the Earth’s mean surface air temperature when taken as an average over the entire planet for a year.
The global average temperature is calculated yearly by measuring above land temperature and that of the oceans in thousands of places across the globe. The temperature at each location, subtracted from the usual temperature on that day (called the anomaly), this is then calculated for each day and averaged for all locations across the globe, then for the whole year, to arrive at a global average temperature for a specific year.
According to ongoing temperature analysis being led by scientists at NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS), the average global temperature on earth has increased by at least 1.1° Celsius (1.9° Fahrenheit) since 1880. Most of the warming has occurred since 1975, at a rate of roughly 0.15 to 0.20°C per decade and although there are global temperature anomaly years such as in 2021, the sixth warmest year, records show that nine of the ten hottest years have all occurred in the past decade.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
- Adaptability.
- Approved Document O.
- Better prediction of overheating in new homes.
- Resilience.
- Climate resilient places.
- Designing resilient cities: a guide to good practice (EP 103).
- Design summer year (DSY)
- Engineering resilience to human threats..
- Flood resilience.
- Future proofing construction.
- Hurricane design considerations.
- Managing and responding to disaster.
- Overheating in buildings
- Property flood resilience.
- Re-evaluating the design life of buildings.
- Resilient infrastructure diversity and equity scorecard.
- Test reference year (TRY)
Featured articles and news
How can digital twins boost profitability within construction?
A brief description of a smart construction dashboard, collecting as-built data, as a s site changes forming an accurate digital twin.
Unlocking surplus public defence land and more to speed up the delivery of housing.
The Planning and Infrastructure bill oulined
With reactions from IHBC and others on its potential impacts.
Farnborough College Unveils its Half-house for Sustainable Construction Training.
Spring Statement 2025 with reactions from industry
Confirming previously announced funding, and welfare changes amid adjusted growth forecast.
Scottish Government responds to Grenfell report
As fund for unsafe cladding assessments is launched.
CLC and BSR process map for HRB approvals
One of the initial outputs of their weekly BSR meetings.
Architects Academy at an insulation manufacturing facility
Programme of technical engagement for aspiring designers.
Building Safety Levy technical consultation response
Details of the planned levy now due in 2026.
Great British Energy install solar on school and NHS sites
200 schools and 200 NHS sites to get solar systems, as first project of the newly formed government initiative.
600 million for 60,000 more skilled construction workers
Announced by Treasury ahead of the Spring Statement.
The restoration of the novelist’s birthplace in Eastwood.
Life Critical Fire Safety External Wall System LCFS EWS
Breaking down what is meant by this now often used term.
PAC report on the Remediation of Dangerous Cladding
Recommendations on workforce, transparency, support, insurance, funding, fraud and mismanagement.
New towns, expanded settlements and housing delivery
Modular inquiry asks if new towns and expanded settlements are an effective means of delivering housing.
Building Engineering Business Survey Q1 2025
Survey shows growth remains flat as skill shortages and volatile pricing persist.