Residents across Ajax and Durham Region are feeling the effects of a changing climate — warmer fall days, heavier rainstorms and increasingly unpredictable weather — and the Region says local homes and buildings are a big part of the response.
Buildings account for roughly one-third of Durham Region's greenhouse gas emissions, according to a Region of Durham news release. The Region says the places where people live, work and gather offer major opportunities to cut energy use, lower costs and create healthier, more resilient spaces.
"Climate change acts like an amplifier, creating severe heat waves and storms, and further stressing our natural systems," Shannon Logan, Durham Region's Manager of Climate Resilience, said in the release. "All levels of government need to reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions, adapt infrastructure to be more durable into the future, and have services to help those most impacted."
Programs for homeowners and businesses
The Region points residents to Durham Greener Homes, a program that helps homeowners make informed energy and weather-readiness improvements that can lower household costs, reduce energy use and soften the impact of storms.
A companion program, Durham Greener Buildings, supports organizations and businesses in finding ways to improve building performance and trim emissions.
Net-zero projects in Whitby and Pickering
Municipalities across Durham are also putting climate goals into action through new community facilities.
In Whitby, the new Fieldgate Sports Complex is designed as a zero-carbon facility, with rooftop solar panels and sustainability features intended to reduce energy costs and emissions.
In Pickering, the Dorsay Community & Heritage Centre is the city's first net-zero community facility.
"The Dorsay Community & Heritage Centre represents a new standard for modern, sustainable municipal infrastructure in Pickering," Marisa Carpino, Chief Administrative Officer for the City of Pickering, said in the release. "As our first zero-carbon community facility, it reflects our commitment to meaningful climate action and demonstrates how sustainability can be embedded into the way we design and deliver public spaces. This leading-edge facility will provide an efficient, resilient and welcoming destination for our community, while preserving important pieces of Pickering's local heritage."
Planning for what's next
The Region acknowledges it can't predict every storm, but says its Durham Community Climate Adaptation Plan brings together local municipalities, utilities, institutions and community partners to identify climate risks and find ways to protect homes, public spaces and infrastructure.
The Region was also named the 2025 Intelligent Community of the Year, an international recognition it links to this collaborative approach to building stronger, better-prepared communities.
More information on the home energy program is available at durhamgreenerhomes.ca, and the business program at durhamgreenerbuildings.ca.
