Building Emissions Performance Standards (BEPS) are a key policy tool used to improve the performance of existing buildings. They typically mandate environmental performance targets that become stricter over time, continuously driving improvement across the existing building stock.
Key components of BEPS include:
In Canada, the City of Vancouver is the first jurisdiction to adopt BEPS.
1. A Policy Primer
Building Performance Standards: A Policy Primer for Municipalities in the Greater Toronto & Hamilton Area by The Atmospheric Fund (TAF)
This primer by The Atmospheric Fund (TAF) provides a policy overview of Building Performance Standards (BPS) for municipalities in the Greater Toronto & Hamilton Area (GTHA), highlighting their potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from buildings and offer economic, health, and housing benefits. It explains what BPS are, outlining key components like building types, performance targets, and compliance timelines, and presents case studies from Vancouver, New York City, Boston, France, and the Netherlands to illustrate how BPS are being implemented globally. The document also details the benefits of adopting BPS for cities, building owners, and tenants, and offers best practices for successful implementation in the GTHA, emphasizing the importance of stakeholder consultation, data analysis, and providing financial support and phased targets.
2. The Role of Municipalities in Enabling BEPS
Advancing Mandatory Building Performance Standards by Efficiency Canada
This roadmap, Advancing Mandatory Building Performance Standards: A Roadmap for Local Government Action, by Efficiency Canada, provides a detailed guide for Canadian local governments interested in implementing Mandatory Building Performance Standards (MBPS) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from existing buildings. It outlines a 12-milestone process, beginning with integrating buildings into climate plans and progressing through steps like understanding building stock, exploring the regulatory framework, conducting research, engaging stakeholders, assessing socio-economic impacts, and ultimately drafting and implementing MBPS by-laws. The document emphasizes leveraging existing programs, building a case for MBPS, and the importance of dedicated staff and public review throughout the process.