In our story Climate Ready Home Part 1 we learned about all the things we can do to reduce emissions and save energy in our homes. These efficiency measures such as insulation, heat pumps, and better windows all reduce energy use and emissions. This is called climate mitigation.

In Part 2 we talk to sustainability teacher Kenton Zerbin about how we can adapt our homes and yards to the impacts of climate change, a process referred to as climate adaptation.

There are six main risks we face from a changing climate in Edmonton:

Floods. Downpours of heavy rain and the resulting floods can wash away our home’s foundation, cause mold and mildew to proliferate, damage electronics, and more! We’ve seen very severe events in Calgary, High River, Fort McMurray and many other places.

Heat. The heat dome event of 2021 brought record temperatures to our region. Events like this also affect our plants and yards.

Wind. We are experiencing more frequent severe wind events that can bring down trees and damage our homes. It’s important to maintain any trees on your property, and remove dead branches that would be a hazard.

Hail. Hail can fall at speeds of 100 km/h or more, and cause significant damage to homes, property, cars and crops.

Drought. Not only are we expecting to see an increase in flooding events, but also the corresponding periods of drought that can affect crops, our yards and city landscapes.

WildFire. Wildfires are happening with increasing severity and have devastated cities like Fort McMurray, Slave Lake and Lytton B.C. In recent years, Edmonton has also suffered under extremely poor air quality numerous times due to high levels of smoke in the air.

Did you know that Alberta has experienced five of the 10 most costly severe weather events in Canadian history?

Check out Edmonton’s Climate Change Almanac to learn more about Edmonton’s Changing Climate. Also check out their resources for how to Prepare for Climate Change.

A Climate Resilient Yard

Kenton Zerbin’s passion is creating sustainable landscapes that are resilient to climate change and offer many more benefits.

Many people have naturalized their yards to reduce the need for water and maintenance, but Kenton wonders, why not take this one step further?

“Growing a food forest is a fantastic method to source your food in a resilient way, sequester carbon, build soil and create a habitat for so many species, including yourself,” says Kenton.

Kenton has replaced lawns and created food forests at churches and he helped create the Waldorf Edible Food Forest and Community Garden in Edmonton. He says a good food forest mimics how a natural forest ecosystem works thus reducing maintenance and the need for water.

Growing and harvesting local food also saves emissions from transportation and helps create food security. In a future video, we’ll see people foraging for food in Edmonton’s river valley in our series and there’s been a surge in interest in community gardening as well.

According to Kenton, there are three things you need in creating your naturalized yard or food forest. “You should always have the holy three,” he says. “...your garden, your compost pile, and your rain tank.”

There are many ways to integrate these into your home and neighbourhood. Kenton showed us rain barrels shared by two neighbours and another system where the eaves troughs from the house run into weeping tile that is buried in the yard to automatically water the alternative lawn, garden boxes and trees.

It’s a great idea to “harvest rainwater that’s free instead of sending it downstream to become a flood for someone else,” says Kenton. The alternative is “paying for [tap] water to come to your garden that's chlorinated and kills the bacteria in your soil that your plants like.”

Use drought-resistant, native species where possible, hydrate with rain water when you can, and reap the bounty of your own local food. Learn more about Eco Landscaping with drought resistant plants and rain barrels.

Home Sweet Climate Resilient Home

There are many things you can do around the house to reduce emissions and get you ready for the impacts of climate change:

• Consider a metal roof to help collect clean rainwater and protect yourself from fire and storms. Bonus: metal roofs also make for easier installation of solar panels.
• Increase your home’s level of insulation to save energy and protect you from cold spells and heat waves.
• Install a heat pump which uses less energy to produce heat, reducing emissions. Not to mention they also provide extremely efficient air conditioning during those increasingly frequent heat events.
• Invest in a heat recovery ventilator, which becomes necessary as homes get more energy efficient and airtight. They provide tons of fresh air, recover up to 80% of the heat in your exhaust air and many can filter your air to protect you from forest fire smoke and other pollutants.

We covered many of these and more in our Climate Ready Home Part 1 video and blog.

For some great ideas check out Change Homes for Climate Guide and the Climate Resilient Home Guide.

Changing For Climate is a series featuring everyday Edmontonians, businesses and organizations who are actively Changing for Climate—and getting us closer to our goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

For more information, visit edmonton.ca/ChangingForClimateSeries.