Old buildings, especially those lacking proper insulation and air conditioning, exacerbate the effects of heat waves. These structures often house vulnerable populations, increasing their risk during extreme weather events. The urgency of this issue cannot be overstated, making the need for sustainable retrofitting practices all the more pressing.
In response to this pressing issue, summer 2023 Sustainability Scholar Oluwasina Agunbiade developed a building retrofit toolkit as part of the City's Climate Action Framework. This toolkit is designed to assist owners and managers of multi-unit residential buildings (MURBs) in understanding sustainable retrofitting methods to withstand extreme heat better.
Agunbiade conducted in-depth interviews with building consultants, non-profit housing organizations, community planners, and academic researchers. From these findings, Agunbiade created a toolkit featuring simplified retrofit concepts and easy-to-apply strategies. This collaborative effort ensures that the toolkit is comprehensive and addresses the needs of all stakeholders, enhancing the thermal comfort and wellbeing of tenants.
During their research, Agunbiade identified several barriers to retrofitting, such as affordability issues, a shortage of qualified contractors, concerns over renovations, and the potential for post-retrofit rent increases. To address these challenges, Agunbiade recommended that the City launch a pilot program to retrofit an at-risk MURB, ideally a social housing unit, to serve as a case study for other building owners.
Agunbiade's project gained attention and was featured in Burnaby Now, highlighting the city's broader initiatives and raising awareness of the need for sustainable building practices across the region. The project aims to provide building owners in Burnaby with an accessible retrofit toolkit, primarily focusing on strategies to mitigate the effects of extreme heat events. The toolkit, developed through research into current best practices and insights from various professionals, offers various retrofitting activities. These activities emphasize quick wins to mitigate overheating and improve buildings' performance and resilience.
Partner: City of Burnaby
Funder: City of Burnaby
File download:
2023-067_Development of a Building Retrofit_Agunbiade.pdf