Greening the BC Building Code: First Steps

On April 15, 2008, Minister responsible for Housing Rich Coleman announced that new Building Code requirements to increase energy and water efficiency would come into effect on September 5, 2008. These first steps in Greening the B.C. Building Code support the province's Throne Speech commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions related to buildings and construction. The new requirements have been developed in consultation with industry, local governments and the public:

  1. Energy Efficiency Requirements for Single Family Houses and Smaller Multi-Family Residential, Commercial and Industrial Buildings
    • Insulation standards for houses and multi-family residential buildings under five stories have changed. There are new insulation standards for small commercial and industrial buildings.
    • For housing, builders can choose to achieve an EnerGuide rating of 77 as an alternative to meeting the insulation requirements.
  2. Energy Efficiency Requirements for High-Rise Multi-Family Residential Buildings and Larger Industrial, Commercial and Institutional Buildings
    • Larger buildings must meet the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers 90.1(2004) standard. ASHRAE 90.1 is an internationally recognized standard for energy efficiency in buildings.
  3. Water Efficiency Requirements
    • Ultra low-flow toilets (6 L) and other water-saving plumbing fixtures and fittings will become mandatory in new construction and renovations.

Details on the new requirements are available in the Summary and Text of Code Changes.

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Implementation

The new green requirements in the Code come into effect on September 5, 2008 and will apply to all new construction and renovations in BC.  The new requirements will apply to building permit applications submitted on or after September 5, 2008.
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Greening the BC Building Code: Next Steps

The first steps in Greening the BC Building Code will be followed by additional changes to the Code to reduce the environmental footprint of buildings throughout their lifespan.

Areas under exploration include greywater recycling, the use of lighting sensors and the reuse of existing buildings, and will involve further consultation with local governments, industry and the public.