The BC Building Code is advancing to Step 3 of the BC Energy Step Code in December, says Homebuilders Association Vancouver CEO Ron Rapp.
Step 3 of the five-step ESC plan — set to launch December 2023 — will drive construction specifications and techniques to achieve a 20 percent-plus improvement in energy performance over a basic code house. Step 4, targeted for 2026, will deliver 40 percent more efficiency, with Step 5, targeted for 2032, to build Net Zero Ready — ready to be energy neutral.
In addition to increased energy efficiency, building to higher levels will deliver many benefits to the homeowner, including cost savings, a lower carbon footprint, enjoying year-round comfort, improved air quality, reduction of exterior noise, and greater resilience, to name a few.
Introduced in 2017, with an “opt-in” for builders and municipalities to date, this “optional” period will now become mandatory for all of British Columbia as of December 2023. Although 11 months off, it is important to realize that the pre-construction planning and permitting stage can take the better part of a year, if not more, which means Step 3, and its impacts, are on our doorstep now.
So far, the actions, materials, and techniques to achieve the performance targets of Steps 1 to 3 have been relatively straightforward, focusing on air and vapour barriers, enhanced insulation, and mitigating heat transfer, among other relatively easy-to-achieve actions.
Higher-performance homes, however, require the builder and homeowner to work with a Certified Energy Advisor (CEA) to model the project to support permit applications and approvals.
Blower door testing, a requirement and industry tool used by CEAs to measure air changes per hour or air leakages in the home, should be done before applying drywall or finishes to identify any issues before they are covered up and become costly and time-consuming to address.
An “Integrated Design Process” (IDP) is recommended by HAVAN as a “best practice” to mitigate risk and control construction costs. This includes the designer, CEA, builder, required professional consultants and the homeowner working together from the beginning of the pre-construction and planning stages to balance energy performance with building costs, architectural goals and benefits to the end user.
Involving a CEA and a qualified designer in the pre-construction and planning stage will increase the chances of successfully meeting ESC targets. Acting on any deficiencies identified by a CEA is crucial for achieving and verifying air change rates and will be a requirement for occupancy certification. Testing at the end of the construction cycle is not the time you want to find your new home is not hitting the targets.
Consumers are urged to ensure that all consultants retained, including the builder, and their trades, are qualified professionals that understand how to meet the performance targets of the ESC.
The process of building higher-performance homes and achieving higher ESC efficiency levels is not typically prescriptive or static. Instead, it will continue to evolve as real-time experiences provide feedback on what is working and what issues need to be amended in applying the new criteria.
Ensure the builder you chose has experience building Step Code 3 or higher and has continuing builder education to support their advancement in building science and applying the ESC.
Moving forward, ESC standards will affect all new builds and major renovations. Performance thresholds and definitions of a “major renovation” vary across municipalities, with many jurisdictions already implementing requirements that exceed the 2018 BCBC code minimums in an effort to meet local climate action plans. Your designer, CEA, licensed builder, or professional renovator will work with the local building department to determine the exact requirements for your project.
For further information, havan.ca/high-performance-homes/
Ron Rapp is CEO of Homebuilders Association Vancouver. He can be reached at ron@havan.ca and Twitter@HAVAN_CEO.
