Heat protection infographics earn international recognition in Climate Creatives Design Challenge

The Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation’s (Intact Centre) ‘Heat Protection Infographics’ for houses and rental units, were commended in a recent international Climate Creatives Heat Waves design challenge. The infographics are included in the contest publications: ‘Heat Waves: The Climate Creatives Challenge’ compendium book and the Climate Creatives Video, which showcases all the winning entries. 

The Intact Centre, housed within the Faculty of Environment at the University of Waterloo is a leader in sustainability research, education and innovation to benefit the environment, economy and society. The centre plays a pivotal role in developing guidance and mobilizing solutions that address climate-related extreme weather risk across Canada and enable a more resilient country. The Intact Centre works with homeowners, communities, all levels of government and businesses to reduce negative impacts from extreme weather events, including heatwaves, wildfires and flooding.  

“Heat-related illness and death are preventable,” states Caroline Metz, managing director, climate resilience and health, Intact Centre. “By putting protective measures in place before a heat wave occurs, tenants and homeowners can reduce undue suffering and health risks from heat – including negative social impacts, and heat-related illness and death. The Intact Centre’s heat protection infographics offer a ‘how to' guide, that can help residents and communities stay safe.”

The Heat Waves Design Challenge brought together experts from climate science and design to serve on the judging panel and identified novel ways of communicating the impacts of extreme heat and actions to protect people and communities. The initiative profiled meaningful communication strategies for those seeking more information and awareness, offering practical solutions and emphasizing adaptation action rather than solely profiling the threat from heat waves. Sponsored by the Environmental Design Studio and Shade the U.K., the contest received entries from around the world.

“It is encouraging to see innovative work on extreme heat from around the world recognized in an international design competition. Communication is key to changing behaviours,” says Joanna Eyquem, managing director, climate-resilient infrastructure, Intact Centre. “It is not enough to identify what to do; the key challenge is to engage people in taking action to protect themselves as part of their everyday lives.”  

Receiving commendation in this prestigious international challenge is a significant accolade for the Intact Centre. It reaffirms the centre’s role in advancing climate resilience and emphasizes that effective communication on complex issues like extreme heat is not only possible, but essential. With a future characterized by irreversible climate warming, the Intact Centre remains committed to helping Canadians understand heat risk and implement protective measures that can safeguard health and well-being now, and in decades to come.