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April, 2007 | Issue 2007-01

 

Thirty local governments participate in Community Action on Energy Efficiency

Local governments are positioned to promote energy efficient buildings because they work directly with building developers and approve new development. Since 2004 the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources has funded 30 municipal or regional district governments through the Community Action on Energy Efficiency (CAEE) program, administered by the Fraser Basin Council. Through CAEE, local governments across BC receive policy research and financial support to develop policies and incentives to promote new energy efficient buildings.

Local governments participating in CAEE have explored different ways to promote energy efficient buildings. Among the 30 participating communities, nine, including the District of Saanich, are incorporating energy efficiency objectives into their Official Community Plans, which guide municipal bylaw development. Several other municipalities, including Squamish, Port Moody and Kamloops, are developing broader community energy plans. Beyond energy planning and policy development, local governments are demonstrating leadership as they retrofit publicly owned buildings for energy efficiency.

CAEE communities are also influencing change in the residential and commercial building sectors through voluntary checklists and certification, such as Built Green™, to promote energy efficient building among developers. Several communities are also developing policies that request energy efficient features during rezoning or development permit processes — opportunities where local governments have discretion. Bowen Island has developed a Green Building Policy that requires new development to adhere to a Built Green™ Gold certification standard. Saanich is providing incentives such as reduced building permit fees or expedited approval process for new development that attains energy efficiency standards.

The provincial government recently committed to create a Green Building Code. This process will benefit from the leadership of CAEE communities in testing new policies and incentives for energy efficient buildings.

While 30 local governments continue to research possible policies and incentives to promote energy efficiency, an additional 20 communities will be supported through CAEE over the next three years. Expanding CAEE will help the provincial government achieve energy conservation targets set out in the recently released 2007 BC Energy Plan.

CAEE Participating Communities


Energy Efficient Buildings Take Off in Saanich

The District of Saanich has been a leader in sustainability for 22 years since adoption of an Energy Conservation Policy in 1985. Last year the District continued its commitment to energy efficiency as it joined the Community Action on Energy Efficiency (CAEE) program. Prior to joining CAEE, Saanich had already begun a process of retrofitting 10 municipal buildings with energy efficient features. As a result of participating in CAEE, the District is also now working with the private sector and is launching a green building incentives program.

Saanich will offer certification and financial incentives to building developers for the construction of energy efficient buildings. A new building certification program, Built Green™ will be promoted among developers. Built Green™ certifies new homes as Bronze, Silver or Gold according to their level of energy efficiency. Building developers who achieve Built Green™ energy efficiency standards will receive up to a 30% rebate on their building permit fees in Saanich. As average building permits cost $4,000 to $4,500, the rebate will save developers $1,200 on the construction of energy efficient buildings. BC Hydro will provide design assistance for new energy efficient buildings free of charge, which will save developers another $350. The $1,550 in financial incentives will offset increased costs for developers who incorporate energy efficient technologies into their buildings.

In addition to promoting private sector energy efficient buildings, Saanich is completing an extensive retrofit program in municipally owned buildings. The retrofits cost the District $857,000 but will save $83,000 annually in energy costs. The retrofits include upgrading lighting, water fixtures, and mechanical, electric and heating systems. The upgrades are being implemented in half of the District's buildings, with special attention paid to energy-intensive buildings such as the ice arena and two swimming pools. As the local Saanich government leads by example, it is hoped green buildings will become prevalent across the District.


Built Green™ Certification: Is your Home a Bronze, Silver or Gold?

Built Green™ is a program that encourages best practices in energy efficiency and environmental construction for the new residential housing industry. Homes in the Built Green™ program are awarded a Bronze, Silver or Gold certification depending on their level of energy efficiency and environmental friendliness. Currently, Built Green™ certification is available in Alberta and BC, with nearly 3,500 single-family homes, townhomes, duplexes and multi-unit homes certified.

The program is owned and delivered by the Canadian Home Builders' Associations in BC and Alberta. Interest in the program is growing across Canada, and certification extends beyond completed buildings. Various stakeholders in the construction industry, including builders, suppliers and contractors can also seek certification.

A specific certification level is assigned to a home, based on two main criteria: its energy efficiency rating and environmental rating. The features assessed in these ratings include a home's operational and heating system, the building material used, the interior and exterior finishes and the builder's water conservation and waste management practices. The benefits of the Built Green™ features include reduced monthly costs and increased home comfort with improved indoor air quality, water usage, and durability. As a result of the improved building practices, building maintenance is also reduced.

The certification level is determined by assessing the EnerGuide rating, developed by Natural Resources Canada, combined with total points achieved in an environmental Built Green™ checklist. If a house passes a standardized air test and reaches the required number of points from the checklist, a Built Green™ certification label and EnerGuide rating is awarded. These labels are symbols assuring the future homebuyer that the house has been tested by a third party and has reached a high standard of energy efficiency and environmental friendliness.

More education among new homebuyers is needed to increase consumer demand for Built Green™ homes. If greater numbers of buyers seek a Built Green™ home, there is likely to be more pressure on the residential construction industry to incorporate standards into new buildings and provide homebuyers with high performance homes.


BC’s Energy Plan targets Conservation through Buildings and Municipalities

The recently released 2007 BC Energy Plan introduces a new 2020 energy target - to satisfy half of BC Hyrdo's increasing energy demands through conservation of current energy use. To meet its new conservation target, the province re-confirmed support for the Community Action on Energy Efficiency (CAEE) and energy efficiency buildings programs.

According to the Energy Plan, CAEE will expand to 50 communities by 2010. Many of the energy efficient initiatives of CAEE are based on provincial targets set out in the government's Energy Efficient Building Plan Strategy released in 2005. Strategy targets include achieving a 17% energy use reduction in nearly an eighth of existing single-family houses and a 32% energy use reduction in newly constructed, single-family houses. Similar energy conservation targets (see table below for specific targets) were set for apartment buildings, commercial buildings and public institutions. CAEE programs support the building sector to implement these energy efficiency targets by 2010.

The 2007 Energy Plan looks promising for CAEE municipalities such as Saanich that are offering incentives for green buildings, retrofitting municipal facilities and incorporating energy efficiency into their Official Community Plans. With the support of the provincial government's Energy Plan, local governments will contribute to achieving the 2020 conservation target.

Additional 2010 Energy Efficiency Building Targets

Get the Word Out

The BC Climate Exchange Email News Bulletin is a great way to highlight your programs and activities. Please email climate@fraserbasin.bc.ca to find out how to get involved.

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This page last updated Tuesday, December 18 2007