Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions

09/08/2026

🌱 Have a climate project that could benefit from fresh ideas and expertise?

The PICS Climate Internship Program is now open for applications from potential employers!

B.C. organizations can apply for up to $15,000 in funding to hire a university student to help advance a climate action project.

Interns can bring their knowledge and skills to assist with anything from climate planning and research to community engagement, data analysis, communications, policy, and more!

Eligible organizations include non-profits, First Nations and Indigenous organizations, local governments, provincial agencies and Crown corporations, cooperatives and social enterprises, and private companies.

Have an idea? Let's get it moving. Don't miss your chance to bring a future climate leader onto your team.

📅 Apply by November 20, 2026

Start your application today: https://ow.ly/imlb50ZIYAh

The PICS Climate Internship Program helps organizations in B.C. reach their climate goals while giving university students a chance to hone their skills and acquire relevant work experience.

09/02/2026

🏗️ Building with concrete?

Concrete is durable, non-combustible, and widely used for fire-resistant construction. However, its production is responsible for approximately 7% of global greenhouse gas emissions*.
Alternative materials can help lower emissions and support climate-resilient construction, including:

✅Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC)
✅Cob
✅Mass Timber

📖 Check out the Climate-Resilient Building Materials Viewbook to discover a range of building materials suited to different B.C. climates.
https://ow.ly/h4IA50ZwJB5

*Source: Roadmap to Net-Zero Carbon Concrete by 2050, Government of Canada
https://ow.ly/ORFo50ZwJB6

08/25/2026

🏡 Climate-Resilient Building Feature: Vancouver Coastal Health Staff Housing, Bella Bella
Building climate-resilient housing has just as much to do with building techniques as it does building materials.

Completed in 2015, Vancouver Coastal Health’s staff housing in Bella Bella demonstrates how innovative construction techniques can help address the challenges of building in remote coastal communities with short construction seasons, limited labour availability, and high energy costs.

This project combines modular construction with passive house design principles to reduce energy and construction costs and create durable, comfortable housing that can withstand this community’s long, wet winters.

📖 Explore the Climate-Resilient Building Materials Viewbook for more examples and resources:https://ow.ly/XXKX50ZwKmk

Read more about this housing project in this informative PDF: https://ow.ly/vcug50ZwKmi

08/17/2026

Have you or someone you know contributed to your community’s fire resilience? If so, we want to hear about it! Submit your story to the crowd-sourced Fire Resilience Map and inspire others to take action.

🔗Access the map through the Community Planning chapter of the Fire Resilience Handbook: https://ow.ly/NSC750ZwJHs

The map can also be opened directly on Padlet: https://ow.ly/xnM450ZwJHt

08/12/2026

🏡 Climate-Resilient Building Feature: Nk'Mip Desert Cultural Centre

As communities across BC face increasing climate-related hazards, the materials and methods we use to build homes matter more than ever.

The Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre demonstrates how rammed earth walls, passive design strategies, and locally sourced materials can contribute to climate resilience while reflecting cultural values and the surrounding landscape.

📖 Learn more in the Climate-Resilient Building Materials Viewbook
https://ow.ly/iF3B50ZwJnj

08/06/2026

Wildfire smoke can affect your health, but a few simple steps can help you prepare.
Take five minutes to set up air quality alerts and make sure you have the supplies you need to create a clean air room.

More information about air quality preparedness can be found on our project’s website: https://climatesolutions.ca/community-fire-resilience-handbook/ ://climatesolutions.ca/community-fire-resilience-handbook/

07/29/2026

☀️This summer, between days at the beach, children and families can take small steps towards building community fire resilience.

The PICS-funded Building Rural & Remote Community Climate Resilience project created a Children’s Activity Booklet to help kids get involved in fire preparedness.

🔥We all have a role to play in developing fire resilience, and it’s never too early (or too late) to get started.

Project Website: https://ow.ly/V9HJ50Zli2a
Children’s Activity Booklet: https://ow.ly/X9m850Zli29

07/24/2026

As​​ our climate changes, the way our houses are built must change too.

🏡 From pit houses to modular homes, climate-resilient building techniques can help rural and remote communities in B.C. prepare for climate hazards.

📖The Climate-Resilient Building Materials Viewbook shares practical tools, examples, and information about building techniques and housing solutions for rural and remote communities: https://ow.ly/CRE850Zlhgg

07/15/2026

🏡 As communities face increasing risks of wildfires, flooding, storms, and extreme temperatures, the materials we use to build our houses matter more than ever.

🪵 Many commonly used building materials are not designed for the frequent hazards that come with our changing climate.

🔥 Building resilient housing means thinking beyond short-term costs and toward long-term safety, environmental sustainability, and value. Choosing the right building materials can help create homes that are better suited to B.C.’s varied local climates and future climate projections.

📖 Check out the Climate-Resilient Building Materials Viewbook for practical tools and information to explore resilient and sustainable housing solutions: https://ow.ly/3Imr50ZlgBv

07/10/2026

Not all building materials are suitable for all climates. With B.C.’s vastly different climates, what may perform well in one region may not be the best choice in another.

Whether you’re building new or planning a retrofit, selecting materials suited to your local climate can help improve resilience to:

🔥Wildfires
⛈️Storms and Flooding
❄️☀️Extreme temperatures
🫨Earthquakes

The Climate-Resilient Building Materials Viewbook helps you explore sustainable, fire-resilient building materials options based on your region, climate risks, and sustainability goals.: https://ow.ly/ytzz50Zlgez

Not sure what hazard to prioritize in your community? ClimateReadyBC’s Climate Risk and Resilience Assessment page (https://ow.ly/IGcH50ZlgeA) and the BC Hazard Insight Tool (https://ow.ly/jyPB50Zlgew) provide more information on climate hazards.