Project Overview
This project, led by the Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care, is a multi-year national initiative aimed at improving healthcare system resilience to extreme indoor heat and sharing project results with vulnerable populations. This study focuses on understanding how high indoor temperatures impact residents, patients, and healthcare workers in long-term care homes, acute care facilities, clinics, and home care settings across Canada.
Heat is one of the leading weather-related causes of death globally (1). In Canada’s 12 largest cities alone, approximately 670 excess deaths occurred during periods of extreme heat between 2000 and 2020 (2). In the 2021 heat dome in British Columbia, 619 deaths were attributed to the extremely high indoor temperatures and occurred in marginalized areas that had less green space. Most affected were seniors with multiple chronic conditions who lived alone without mechanical cooling (3). Many healthcare settings were unequipped to manage extreme indoor temperatures as they often lacked cooling infrastructure, protocols, and staff training (3). The healthcare sector is also under pressure to reduce its environmental impact which adds complexity to managing rising heat while meeting emissions targets.
This study will use a mix of environmental monitoring and human experience data to guide climate adaptation for indoor heat in healthcare. Quantitative data will include indoor temperature and humidity measurements from data loggers placed in rooms. Qualitative data will be collected via surveys and short interviews with residents, patients, and healthcare workers. The study will be carried out, with all research ethics board approvals in place before data collection.
Key Project Goals and Deliverables
This component focuses on empowering healthcare facilities and staff with the tools and knowledge needed to respond to extreme indoor heat. Through the use of data loggers, heat-health surveys, and brief interviews, we will assess current preparedness and build capacity to reduce heat-related health risks. Low-cost intervention will be tested to support resilient and low-carbon care environments.
Our National Advisory Committee (NAC) includes experts from medicine, public health, climate science, and equity-focused organizations. The NAC provides critical input on research design, tools, and knowledge translation in order to ensure that this work is relevant, practical, and equity-driven. This national collaborative guides shared learning and supports our collective impact.
Community-based webinars and scenario planning sessions engage local leaders, vulnerable populations, and intersectoral partners in co-designing indoor heat solutions. Scenario planning trains participants to anticipate climate-health challenges and co-develop local adaptation strategies.
We are developing a suite of bilingual resources including infographics, toolkits, videos, and a ‘Pay it Forward’ heat assessment kit. These tools will help healthcare workers recognize, respond to, and reduce indoor heat risks for patients and residents. National and regional engagement sessions and conference presentations will ensure these resources are widely shared.
Our project is built on real-world assessments and actions taking place in long-term care, acute care, and home care sites across Ontario, British Columbia, and Nova Scotia. Each demonstration site plays a crucial role in testing interventions, evaluating outcomes, and modeling what climate-resilient care looks like.
Community workshops will engage with vulnerable group representatives where we will share our project results, and provide resources to share with their members on how best to protect themselves from extreme indoor heat.
Webinars
Low-tech, High-impact Solutions to Heatwaves in Long-Term Care, Acute Care, Clinics, and Home Care Settings Across Canada
Watch this webinar to hear a vital discussion on protecting vulnerable populations from extreme indoor heat in health care and community settings. Hosted by the Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care, this webinar brings together experts to share insights on how health care workers, patients, and facilities are impacted by rising temperatures and the need for better preparedness in long-term care, acute care, clinics, and home care homes across Canada.
Resources
Support Us
If you believe in creating safer, climate-resilient healthcare systems, consider supporting this work. We’re currently seeking products to test for reducing indoor heat in healthcare settings. Whether through partnerships, donations, or product contributions, your support helps protect the most at-risk members of our communities
Get in Touch
For additional questions, contact William Gagnon, Director of Implementation at william@greenhealthcare.ca and Keishini Selvaganesh, Administrative Assistant at keishini@greenhealthcare.ca
Partners
