The New Summer Norm: Preparing Commercial Properties for Unpredictable Weather

How Commercial Property Owners Can Strategize to Save this Summer

If the last few summers have taught us anything, it’s that weather is no longer predictable. From record-breaking heatwaves to flash floods and prolonged droughts, extreme weather patterns are no longer outliers, but the new norm.

According to Environment and Climate Change Canada, the country is warming at twice the global average. In 2023 alone, Canada experienced over 6,500 wildfires, burning more than 18 million hectares, a clear signal that our climate systems are under stress. Even just last summer in July 2024, nearly 100 mm of rain fell in just three hours in Toronto, triggering urban flash flooding. Early insured loss estimates reached around C$1 billion, with total damages likely much higher. With such drastic cost impacts, these environmental shifts are reshaping how property owners must approach landscape management.

For commercial properties, the stakes are high. Your outdoor environment is often the first impression for tenants, clients, and visitors. But it’s also a long-term investment—one that can quickly become a liability if not managed with climate resilience in mind.

So how can you protect that investment, control costs, and maintain curb appeal in a climate of uncertainty? Strathmore’s experts pride themselves on their training and experience in mitigating, managing, and rehabilitating our clients’ properties to be climate resilient while also being beautiful functional spaces. Here are some strategies you can employ for your property: 

1. Design for Flexibility

Landscape architecture should now be planned with variability in mind. Incorporate drought-resistant plants, native species, and improved drainage systems to reduce dependency on irrigation and prevent waterlogging during storms.

Pro tip: A flexible planting plan adapts not only to different weather extremes but also to fluctuating budgets.

2. Smart Irrigation = Smart Spending

Irrigation systems with weather-based sensors and remote monitoring aren’t luxuries anymore, but essential investments. Studies show smart irrigation systems can reduce outdoor water use by up to 50%, helping properties stay green without overspending.

3. Seasonal Risk Assessment

Proactive property managers are implementing quarterly landscape audits to identify potential risk zones, like weak trees, clogged drains, or vulnerable slopes. Preparing in spring for what summer might bring can mean thousands saved in reactive maintenance.

4. Stormwater Management

Rain gardens, bioswales, and permeable surfaces can all contribute to better stormwater control, reducing erosion and preventing costly property damage. It’s not just about compliance, it’s about long-term savings and sustainability.

5. Landscape Cooling

Urban heat islands and extreme summer temperatures can push energy costs through the roof. Landscaping can be a powerful tool to counteract that. Strategic planting, rooftop gardens, and shade trees can reduce building surface temperatures by up to 5°C, while improving tenant comfort and reducing cooling demand. Studies show energy use spikes by up to 15% during heatwaves, but properties with heat-smart landscaping see up to 30% reductions in cooling costs.

6. Partner with the Pros

With weather patterns becoming less predictable, responsive and proactive maintenance is more critical than ever. Having a commercial landscape partner who understands regional climate patterns, soil dynamics, and plant resilience can make all the difference.

Prepared for the Unpredictable

At Strathmore, we’re helping commercial property owners across Canada prepare for a future that’s already here. Our landscape experts offer forward-thinking design, climate-adaptive maintenance strategies, and scalable solutions built for real-world weather extremes.

At Strathmore, we work with our partners to provide creative solutions to overcome climate change challenges. From thermographic property assessments to identify high-heat zones, shade-first planting strategies to protect buildings and walkways, green infrastructure, like rooftop gardens, to reduce radiant heat, and drought-tolerant plantings that thrive even during prolonged dry spells, at Strathmore, we work with our partners to ensure a better return on their investment.

Don’t wait for the next weather event to put your landscape—and your budget—at risk.

Let’s build a plan that works no matter what summer throws your way.

Call Strathmore today for a free consultation.