{"id":17835,"date":"2023-06-03T11:44:54","date_gmt":"2023-06-03T18:44:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/proposed-changes-to-b-c-building-code-up-for-review\/"},"modified":"2023-06-03T11:44:55","modified_gmt":"2023-06-03T18:44:55","slug":"proposed-changes-to-b-c-building-code-up-for-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/proposed-changes-to-b-c-building-code-up-for-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Proposed changes to B.C. building code up for review"},"content":{"rendered":"

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June 2, 2023 \u2013 In B.C., a four-week public review has begun to review and comment on numerous proposed building code changes, including: accessibility and adaptable dwellings; cooling requirements; mass timber construction; radon safety; and ventilation in houses.<\/p>\n

Those proposed changes arise out of the 2020\u00a0National\u00a0Model Codes, including B.C.-specific variations that reflect the province\u2019s geography, climate, local government needs and industry practices.<\/p>\n

The update to the B.C.\u00a0Building\u00a0Code is required to ensure buildings and spaces across the province reflect the needs of everyone, said minister of Housing, Ravi Kahlon.<\/p>\n

Three weeks ago the city passed new municipal legislation to require designers, general contractors and homeowner builders to work with an energy advisor early in the design stages of a project to ensure the building design meets up to a provincial Step Code four of energy efficiency requirements \u2013 completed using software modelling.<\/p>\n

As of May 1, Part 9 residential homes must hit either Step\u00a0Code\u00a04 of the B.C. Energy Step\u00a0Code\u00a0or hit Step 3 if they also achieve the EL-3 (strong) level of the Zero Carbon Step\u00a0Code.<\/p>\n

To meet the requirement of any step of the B.C. Energy Step\u00a0Code, a model of the proposed\u00a0building\u00a0design must be completed prior to construction, demonstrating the design meets or exceeds the minimum required metrics.<\/p>\n

There is concern about the possible lack of energy advisors in the region, but it is not a meaningful impediment to the proposed changes.<\/p>\n

The Province is working with a group of mobile EAs who are already providing service to many remote regions, said city director of Development Services and Climate Leadership, Sebastien Arcand.<\/p>\n

In 2017, the Province of B.C. introduced the B.C. Energy Step\u00a0Code<\/span>\u00a0as a policy mechanism aimed to address greenhouse gas emissions in the\u00a0building<\/span>\u00a0sector and help the province meet its climate leadership targets.<\/p>\n

The Step\u00a0Code<\/span>\u00a0enabled authorities having jurisdictions (AHJs) to go beyond the requirements of the B.C.\u00a0Building<\/span>\u00a0Code<\/span>\u00a0and implement a provincial standard that provides an incremental approach to increasing the energy efficiency of new buildings.<\/p>\n

BC Zero Carbon Step\u00a0Code<\/span>, which seeks to address greenhouse gas emissions associated with operational energy systems, was developed in part due to a finding that the Energy Step\u00a0Code<\/span>\u00a0was not resulting in the desired reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.<\/p>\n

The code\u2019s framework plots a path to zero carbon ready buildings by 2030 for all new buildings. The B.C. Energy Step\u00a0Code<\/span>\u00a0relies on a performance-based approach to achieving energy-efficiency requirements for new construction.<\/p>\n

In addition, the survey provides draft accessibility\u00a0code\u00a0language derived from previous engagements industry representatives and the public on how to increase accessibility in new buildings and homes.<\/p>\n

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