BC STEP CODE

Whether you are an elected official, a builder or a tradesperson, it's important you know what the BC Energy Step Code is, and how the Province of BC is supporting the transition to net zero ready new building construction. The BC Energy Step Code is an optional compliance path in the BC Building Code that local governments may use, if they wish, to incentivize or require a level of energy efficiency in new construction that goes above and beyond the requirements of the BC Building Code.

BC Energy Step Code sets performance requirements for energy efficiency in new buildings. Learn how it works, its benefits and how it is governed

About BC Energy Step Code

In 2017, the BC Energy Step Code established performance requirements for energy efficiency in new buildings. The Step Code was created because:

• Local governments required new energy-efficient buildings

• Builders wanted more consistent requirements across neighboring local governments

• The province wanted to reduce energy use and greenhouse-gas emissions from buildings

Technical requirements

The technical requirements of the BC Energy Step Code were co-developed with:

• The construction industry

• Leading local governments

• Utility organizations

• Non-profits

• Technical input from Natural Resources Canada

Requirements are grouped into Steps. Every few years the minimum Step rises. This guides the industry towards net-zero energy-ready buildings by 2032.

The first Step up occurred in May 2023, when most new buildings had to be 20% more energy efficient than the 2018 minimums. The lower steps of the BC Energy Step Code are listed as “Reserved” in the BC Building Code and no longer meet minimum energy efficiency requirements. This includes:

• Steps 1 and 2 for smaller buildings

• Step 1 for larger buildings.

A high-performance staircase;

As shown below, the regulation sets performance targets for new construction and groups them into “steps” that apply across various building types and regions of the province. The Lower Steps are relatively straightforward to meet; the Upper Steps are more ambitious.

All authorities having jurisdiction over the BC Building Code—including local governments—can choose to require or incentivize builders to meet one or more steps of the BC Energy Step Code as an alternative to the code’s prescriptive requirements.

For governments, the BC Energy Step Code offers assurance that new buildings are performing as billed. Meanwhile, on the other side of the counter, builders have a more flexible option to comply with the energy-efficiency provisions of the provincial legislation. The new standard empowers builders to pursue innovative, creative, cost-effective solutions—and allows them to incorporate leading-edge technologies as they come available.

Local governments can choose to require or incentivize a given step of the BC Energy Step Code in new construction. In addition, beyond the regulatory context, builders and developers can adopt a given step to use across all of their projects, if they wish.

The diagrams below show what the performance improvements look like for simple buildings (those covered under Part 9 of the BC Building Code) and more complex buildings (covered by Part 3 of the code). The first diagram outlines five steps from the current BC Building Code requirements to net-zero energy ready requirements for Part 9 residential buildings. As shown in the second diagram, the same progression for Part 3, wood-frame residential buildings is four steps.

How the BC Energy Step Code works?

A predictable path for improving energy efficiency in new buildings

Energy efficiency requirements are grouped into steps. Every few years the minimum step rises. This guides the industry towards net-zero energy ready buildings by 2032.

The first step up occurred in May 2023, when most new buildings had to be 20% more energy efficient than the 2018 minimums. The lower steps of the BC Energy Step Code are listed as “Reserved” in the BC Building Code and no longer meet minimum energy efficiency requirements. This includes:

• Steps 1 and 2 for smaller buildings

• Step 1 for larger buildings

Before the Step Code, builders had to meet specific requirements for individual building elements like insulation, windows and heating systems, and did not need to consider how these elements worked together as an integrated system. The resulting building did not always perform as well as it should.

The Step Code establishes a performance outcome and leaves it to the design and building team to decide how to achieve it. Builders and clients may choose the materials and design solutions that meet their design and budget. This increases energy efficiency without necessarily increasing construction costs.

This approach requires a digital whole-building energy model before finalizing the design. APPLY NOW

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Benefits of provincial energy-efficiency requirements

A predictable path for improving energy efficiency in new buildings

Buildings with higher energy-efficiency offer many benefits for B.C. and for the people who live, work and learn in them.

Airtight, well-insulated building envelopes lead to:

• More consistent temperatures between rooms

• Better temperature control making spaces more comfortable

• Less noise from the outside

• Lower energy costs

Lower energy consumption leads to:

• Fewer greenhouse gas emissions. Helps fight climate change

• Supports B.C.’s climate goals. Moves us closer to making all new buildings “net-zero energy ready” by 2032

Education and training for high-performance buildings leads to:

• More competition and innovation in the building industry

• More jobs in green building design and construction

• Higher quality homes for people in B.C.

More consistent technical requirements:

• Simplifies requirements across local jurisdictions

• Provides enough flexibility to be used across all B.C. climate zones and allows builders to find cost effective design solutions

Local governments benefits

• Allows local governments to move at their own pace and show climate leadership by adopting higher performance steps helps meet climate goals and supports local efforts to reduce emissions