Addressing health impacts of indoor heat in Canada
Categories: Action Line 2: Evidence-based policy strategy and capacity building, Climate resilient and low carbon infrastructures, technologies, and supply chain, Climate-related emergency preparedness and management, Climate-smart workforce, Health and climate research, Air quality, Heat and cold, Storms, Wildfires
Country: Canada
Organizations: Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care
The intervention
A national initiative in Canada was developed by the Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care to address the growing impacts of indoor heat on vulnerable populations, particularly older adults in healthcare and community settings (funded by Health Canada). The project identifies and installs low-cost, low-carbon, easily implemented heat adaptation measures suitable for each location. For long-term care and acute care, these could include green infrastructure, solar shades or shutters, and scheduled prompts to manage heat. For community settings, this may also include portable fans and sunlight-blocking curtains. Temperature and humidity are monitored year-round using data loggers before and after installation to assess impact. Educational materials accompany each site intervention. Co-designed with patients, residents, and healthcare workers, the project strengthens facility preparedness and continuity of care during heat events while enhancing comfort and safety for occupants.
Success factors
The design and implementation of the intervention contributed to its success by prioritising low-cost and practical solutions that can be rapidly implemented across care settings while directly addressing the urgent need to reduce indoor heat risks. The co-design process with patients, residents, healthcare workers, hospitals in British Columbia and Nova Scotia, as well as home care and community settings in Ontario, was a fundamental component to ensuring that the heat adaptation intervention reflects real-world conditions. Interviews with persons who are sensitive to heat provide the team with the value of these perspectives through lived experience to assist with developing practical supports. The use of affordable products to block direct sunlight creates a scalable model that is evidence informed and resource-sensitive. The knowledge will be shared with vulnerable persons, caregivers/families, healthcare workers, and researchers to assist institutional and community responses to indoor heat risks. This intervention aims to improve current living conditions within healthcare facilities and ensures they are resistant to extreme indoor heat.
Recommendations
To implement this heat adaptation intervention in another context, it is recommended to start with a clear assessment of the present indoor heat risks within the target setting. This can be done with temperature and humidity data loggers. Moreover, it is also essential to pair these findings with qualitative input from staff, residents, and community members to ensure that the interventions are relevant to the context. Finally, aligning the intervention with the broader climate and health goals, and prioritising low-cost, easy-to-implement interventions will lead to sustainable, scalable, and equitable solutions that enhance preparedness and protect vulnerable populations.
Key resources
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