A warming climate that increases the likelihood of stronger storms, wildfires and extreme heat will demand greener buildings that protect their residents and keep them safe, a report from the Pembina Institute says.

In Healthy Buildings in a Changing Climate, the Calgary-based think tank argues for the importance of adapting Canada’s buildings, specifically multi-unit residential buildings (MURBs).

MURBs were selected because “rental buildings in particular are one of the toughest buildings to crack,” due to a split incentive between land owners and renters, report co-author Betsy Agar, the program director of Pembina’s building program, told Sustainable Biz Canada.

Agar and co-author Raidin Blue say building owners, businesses and governments must plan for building retrofits that increase resilience and reduce vulnerability, with measures such as sealing against floods and storms, and building cooling technology like air conditioning and heat pumps.

Deep retrofits are “really the only form of climate action that reduces emissions while protecting Canadians from increasing extreme, frequent natural disasters,” Agar said. All levels of government, utilities, building owners, and the insurance and lending sectors will have to adjust their thinking to take on the issue, she added.

Preparing Canada’s buildings for a warmer, more extreme climate

The report examines how residents in MURBs would be affected by the impacts of a warming climate from extreme heat; flooding and reduced water quality; rises in infectious agents; and wildfire smoke and reduced air quality.

Extreme heat events are the leading weather-related cause of death in Canada, and indoor overheating is becoming a greater risk, Pembina writes. Factors such as the age of the building and the inclusion or exclusion of a cooling and ventilation system can affect occupants' susceptibility to heat-related illnesses.

Flooding not only damages buildings and poses a risk to lives, it can raise the risk of waterborne diseases such as cholera by interrupting water treatment infrastructure. Infectious disease vectors like insects and fungi will have their range increased from a warming climate, and poor indoor air quality can exacerbate exposure to diseases.

With longer and more intense wildfires, people will be at higher risk of exposure to harmful particulates and gases that raise the risk of lung and heart illnesses and chronic allergies.

How healthy buildings can counteract climate risks

Early planning can offer solutions to the damages from global warming, Pembina says. As 80 per cent of the buildings that exist today will still be around in 2050, taking residents' health into account at the pre-construction stage is the best way to tackle the issue.

Better insulation would reduce heating and cooling energy needs and help maintain humidity to prevent mould growth. High-performance windows can better manage heat and moisture while keeping out air particulates, pollutants and water leaks.

Agar notes regulations to stimulate action, such as B.C.’s proposed Highest Efficiency Equipment Standards that would mandate all new space and water heating equipment sold and installed in the province starting in 2030 to be electric heat pumps, gas heat pumps, or dual-fuel systems. The BC Step Code requires there must be at least one living space per building that does not exceed 26 C.

How to balance every player in deep retrofits

Taking initiative will require cooperation with building owners, the insurance and financial sectors, and governments, Pembina says.

A key question is how a building owner would balance financial returns with the value preserving the health and resilience of their tenants. Rental agreements and tenancy laws make it challenging to find cross-sharing opportunities or enable building owners to cover the costs to make buildings better while not raising rent, Agar said.

The institute laid out a series of recommendations for the relevant parties.

Building owners can revolve asset planning around building envelope upgrades, monitor air quality, include wildfire smoke plans that add ways to recirculate indoor air through air filtration media, and integrate active cooling measures. Agar urges building owners to set long-term plans, as deferring deep retrofits means the costs will bear down harder in the future.

“We’re risking stranded assets where we have these buildings that are uninsurable,” she said.

The insurance sector can reduce premiums and the financial sector can lower borrowing costs for projects that emphasize passive energy conservation and shading.

Regulations and funding programs are the top recommendation from Pembina to governments. Adoption measures for public health can be added to home and building codes, and governments can work with utilities to reduce energy consumption and peak energy demand. Households in energy poverty could be given deep retrofits at no cost.

The regulations can assure the private sector their investments are going in the right direction, Agar said.

Government action can “give the strong signal to the marketplace to be building out this way of retrofitting and caring for Canadians.”