Leading jurisdictions recognize that without the adoption of upper tiers in each province and territory and a robust compliance regime, stringent building energy codes will have a limited role in meeting their decarbonization objectives. And adoption doesn't happen with a mechanism to fund it.

In 2009, the Obama administration enacted the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The Act tied stimulus funding to requirements directing states to adopt and implement stringent energy building codes, as well as state efforts to increase building energy code compliance, from 50% in most jurisdictions at the time, to 90% by 2017.
In Canada, a leading example of adoption and compliance funding is the province of BC where code related activities are supported through the province's utilities. Utilities in the province have spent approximately $27 million over the last 5 years, including BC Hydro which has averaged almost 6% of their total Demand Side Management portfolio spending. These contributions are a primary reason why the province is now the only one to have committed to a net-zero building code.

These examples illustrate the need for early support for adoption and compliance activities. Long-term and consistent supports serve to de-risk adoption of the upper tiers of the model codes, verify that each building is achieving the energy and emissions reductions desired, and smooth the building sector's transition to its net-zero future.