A series of row houses with stairs leading to porches and a swing set in the front yard.

Credit: Photo by Bonté Ineza on Unsplash

New homes in B.C. are cutting rent, carbon, and ER visits

After moving into an energy-efficient social housing unit in New Westminster, Margaret Wanyoike’s family saw not just lower rent — but better health and clean air too. They're not alone.

Shannon Waters reports for The Narwhal.

In short:

British Columbia’s nonprofit housing groups are building and retrofitting homes that fight both the housing and climate crises— keeping residents safe from wildfire smoke and deadly heat waves.
Rent in climate-resilient units can be as low as $775, thanks to government support like B.C.’s Community Housing Fund and a building code that rewards energy efficiency and cooling systems.
Some retrofits are done without displacing vulnerable tenants, preserving low rents while cutting carbon emissions by up to 90%.

Key quote:

“All homes should have these things because why would you build a home today that doesn’t have some kind of cooling and some kind of filtration? This is not going to get any better anytime soon and I don’t think money should be the dictating factor of having access to clean air and not dying of heat exhaustion.”

— William Azaroff, CEO of Brightside Community Homes Foundation

Why this matters:

Welcome to a quiet revolution in British Columbia, where nonprofit housing groups are showing what’s possible when climate policy meets basic human need. As the climate crisis pushes extreme heat and smoke into our daily lives, housing becomes a frontline defense. Smart housing policy can cut emissions, protect health, and ensure low-income families aren’t left behind. What’s happening in Metro Vancouver can represent a blueprint for cities everywhere.

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Credit: Antonio Garcia/Unsplash

California mining company turns to solar heat but can’t quit coal just yet

In California’s Mojave Desert, a mining plant is turning to solar thermal energy to replace one of its coal-fired generators, but a second unit may run for years due to the intense heat and 24-hour power it needs.

Ivan Penn reports for The New York Times.

In short:

Searles Valley Minerals, a mining company in Trona, Calif., is replacing one of its two coal plants with a solar thermal system but says the other may need to stay online for the foreseeable future due to operational demands.
The company will use a concentrating solar power system from start-up GlassPoint, which uses mirrors to generate high heat, a solution that works well in hot, sunny areas but requires a large land footprint and remains rare in the U.S.
Despite California’s push to phase out coal and President Trump’s efforts to revive it, economic and geographic constraints continue to complicate full industrial transitions away from fossil fuels.

Key quote:

“We just think coal is going to be a problem. We’re going to have a hard time sourcing it. We need to be ready to pivot.”

— Dennis Cruise, president of Searles Valley Minerals

Why this matters:

Industrial heat — the kind used in mining, chemical production, and heavy manufacturing — accounts for about half of global energy use, yet it’s rarely mentioned in public climate debates. Unlike home heating or car travel, generating this level of heat without fossil fuels is still tough. Most renewable energy technologies don’t deliver the extreme, continuous heat these facilities need. That leaves industries like the one in Trona stuck with coal, even as it becomes harder to source and politically unpopular. As the U.S. attempts to decarbonize, industrial energy needs present one of the biggest hurdles.

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