How to outfit buildings to better handle hotter temperatures

Brenda Perezthought B.C.'s recent heat wave would be nothing compared to summers in her native Mexico.

However, as her highrise condo framed with floor-to-ceiling windowsbaked in temperatures over40 C, the 25-year-old's health began to suffer, as did her pets.

"I actually threw up. I woke up and I really felt like I was going to faint," said the Coquitlam resident.

Perez said herpriority was her dog, Lola, and that they took nearly 12 showers daily just to stay cool, before shefinally found a dog-sitter with air conditioning. But her two pet fish and frog died from the heat.

"It's changed my way of seeing the world," she said. "It was just a nightmare for me."

As southern B.C. baked under record-breaking, deadlytemperatures for several days in late June, residents like Perezwere left worryingabout their living conditions and whether theseunprecedentedevents will become more common withclimate change.

And while residents scrambled to find AC,experts suggestthe scorching temperatures are an opportunity forhomeowners and developerstoreconsider how tobetterkeep homes cool.

B.C.'s lack of AC and cooling

Many buildings in British Columbia lack cooling due to the province's milder climate expectations, explainsAkua Schatz,a vice-president with the Canada Green Building Council, which focuses on sustainable building practices.

"So you end up with these, like, glass towers that are basically baking people,because they aren't designed to both have open airflow and really take in the heat," she said.

During last week's historicheat wave, some B.C. residents resorted to buying AC units and new HVAC systems but most were quicklysold out.

Bobby Watt, owner of the Vancouver-based Watt HVAC, saidhe's seen nearly a 575 per cent increase in calls and website visitsfrom people lookingto install air conditioning since the temperatures began to climb.

On June 28, BCHydro announced electricity demand in the province reached 8,516 megawatts. This shattered records by more than 600 megawatts, which equates to turning on 600,000 portable air conditioners.

However, portable AC units are the least energy efficient models on the market, BC Hydro notes, typically using10 times more energy than a central ACsystem or heat pump.

Instead of focusing on a quick fix, like AC,experts outlinedseveral long-term and more efficient infrastructure solutions.

The heat pump

Installing a heat pump can both cool and heat a home,unlike an air conditioner, saidSchatz. When cooling, a heat pump extracts the heat out of your home and moves it back outside.

Heat pumps are up to 50 per cent more energy efficient compared to a typical window AC unit, according to BCHydro.On average, theycostbetween $4,000 and$10,000 to purchase and install.

Schatzalso encourages homeowners to doresearch on provincial rebatesthat may be available and get guidance from localenergy advisors.

Radiant cooling

Radiant cooling uses special panels with chilled water to cool down walls and ceilings, explainsAdam Rysanek, an assistant professor ofenvironmental systems at the University of British Columbia.

A person's body heat then radiates towardthose cool panels when theystandbeside or underneath them.

Radiant cooling saves anywhere between 25 per cent to 60 per cent of energy compared to typicalcentral air-conditioning systems, Rysaneksaid.

More midrise,less highrise

As a bigger picture option, experts say developers should reconsider the size and design of our buildings.

While sky-high views are popular, it would be wise to prioritize midrise buildings, says UBC-based urban design expert Patrick Condon.

"The buildings more easily shade each other, particularly on the west sides, and they're not so tall that you can't do simple things like growing trees," he explained.

On an urban planning level, Condon said, trees are essential for cooling because the air within the canopy of a tree can be up tofive degrees lower.

Smaller floor-to-ceiling windows

When it comes to our buildings, experts also suggest having smaller floor-to-ceiling windows, allowing for more insulation on exterior walls.

Condos made of glass are poor insulators that allow both cool air to easily escape and that reflect hot air into the building, according to BC Hydro.

'Apretty daunting task'

While thesesolutions are more energy efficient, experts acknowledge they are not quick fixes, particularlyfor older buildings.

"Whether you're in a duplex, or whether you're in a stratathat's 250 units, it's a pretty daunting task," saidTony Gioventu, executive director of the Condominium Home Owners Association of B.C.

Gioventu agrees that heat pumps and major upgrades are the best solution. While not every tenant will be able to afford retrofits, he says property managers and strata councils can prioritize cooling solutions and ask questions like:Does the building have electrical capacity for a heat pump? Will retrofitting cause future disasters? How will it be maintained?

As for Perez, when shefinally felt a cooling breezeas temperatures subsided some,it was an emotional moment.

"I started crying like, I was so happy," she said.

To prepare for future heat waves, Perez plans topurchase a portable AC unit when one is available. But if her heat-related discomfort continues, she says her next step is to now consider moving toa building with a better cooling system.