On April 10th, 2024 the Province of Ontario released the update on the Ontario Building Code. Unfortunately, there were no improvements regarding energy efficiency requirements in the OBC update. This means there have been no energy efficiency improvements in over a decade in Ontario. Harmonization with the National Model Tiered Code was also not advanced. It remains to be seen if the OBC will be updated once the 2025 National Model Code update occurs. (Ontario originally committed to harmonize with the National Code which would require them to to update the provincial code within 18 months of a National Model Code update).
At the March 2024 Ontario Climate Caucus meeting there were presentations and discussions on the National Model Building Code, lessons learned from the BC Step Code, and advancing efforts in Ontario through the Ontario Stakeholder Council.
Summary Notes
National Model Energy Code Update: Where it is, Where it is going, Why it matters: Kevin Lockhart, Research Manager of Buildings at Efficiency Canada.
- The Ontario Building Code is slated for an update (by the end of March 2024).
- There has been a provincially stated direction regarding alignment with National Model Code, however thus far there has not been progress on that harmonization.
- Ontario has made only minimal incremental improvements in the energy requirements in the OBC in almost a decade.
- Tiered codes (identifying where present requirements are as well as informing the market of the upcoming requirements and the time frame for when those requirements will be brought into the OBC) is a leading practice. It provides clarity to the market enabling them to prepare for upcoming requirements and know the time frame for achieving that readiness.
- The British Columbia (BC) Step Code has been a leading practice that informed the development of the National Model Building Code.
- BC has successfully implemented the Step Code, which sets performance targets for new construction. Municipalities have the flexibility to mandate or incentivize builders to meet higher steps of the code, thereby encouraging innovation and cost-effectiveness.
- BC's approach aligns with its climate plan, Clean BC, and aims to have all new buildings net-zero by 2032. The province has taken proactive measures to engage stakeholders, provide clear guidance, and recognize market leaders.
- This clarity in the market has resulted in a multi-stakeholder process to build market capacity to meet the upcoming higher tiers. More info on the How they are doing that will be shared by Victoria in her upcoming presentation.
- The National Model Code will be bringing in an emissions metric. At present the National Model Code has an energy metric and does not include an emissions metric. Energy metrics alone are not able to drive reductions in operational or embodied carbon emissions. To achieve the stated carbon reductions the inclusion of a GHG metric is critical. The lack of an emissions metric undermines the climate considerations and hoped for outcomes. The importance of including an emissions metric was highlighted from learnings from the BC Step Code.
- The federal government is also working on an Existing Buildings Code.
- The federal government however only sets model codes which them need to be adopted and implemented at the provincial level.
- There will be work taking place within the Clean Air Council (staff level municipal climate network)
- Municipal leadership via green standards and provincial communication on the need for energy efficiency improvements and inclusion of greenhouse gas emissions metrics will likely be required to see improvements in the OBC.
Ontario Stakeholder Council: Lessons Learned form BC and Hopes for Ontario, Victoria Coffin
- The BC model didn't only advance a Step Code, it emphasized collaboration with municipalities and stakeholders, offered flexibility by moving to a performance pathway (rather than simply a reliance on a prescriptive approach) and provided support to stakeholders to improve implementation.
- The Energy Step Code Council is a multi-stakeholder network made up of provincial and municipal governments, industry (developers, builders, designers, trades, building officials, and professional organizations), utilities, NGOs & support organizations, education sector. The province provides resources and project management for the Council.
- The Council developed an implementation framework for municipal adoption and developed standardized forms and templates and increased consistency across the standards municipalities put in place.
- The success of BC's approach underscores the importance of government leadership, collaboration, transparency, and proactive measures in achieving energy efficiency and emissions reduction goals.
- As Kevin mentioned progress in Ontario re: alignment with National Model Code has not occurred thus far.
- Ontario Stakeholder Council fosters conversations across sectors, identifies and addresses barriers, and increases alignment across levels of government and stakeholders.
- OSC is made up of 55+ organizations, municipalities, provincial government, development industry, etc.
- Electrification readiness is an area slated for collective efforts across stakeholders
Green Standards and Building Code Discussion
- Municipalities have been advancing green standards via their site plan controls to provide transparency to the development community on the sustainability metrics that municipalities would like to increase uptake on.
- Metrics include energy and emissions performance metrics, but green standards also include metrics such as bird friendly design, increasing the amount of precipitation, EV Ready, etc.
- Green standard metrics clarity to the development community on the metrics right from the start of the development review process and increases development uptake to the sustainability metrics far more than voluntary checklists have been able to achieve. that is dealt with onsite via green roofs and low impact development, solar readiness,
- There is often push back from the development community re municipal green standards. It would be of significant value to have provincial progress on green standards bylaw.
- The role the federal government may be able to play in increasing progress in Ontario? That is a challenging issue in that the federal government set the model code, but building code is under provincial jurisdiction, requiring provincial commitment and effort to advance progress.
- Municipalities have also been bringing Ontario Building Code discussions into their council discussions and King Township, and Orillia have passed resolutions to the Province calling for improvements in the advancement of the OBC to address energy efficiency and emissions and advancement of a green standards by-law.
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