On May 17th, Vancouver City Council approved 4 building emissions reductions reports that will impact both existing and new homes.
These 4 reports are part of the City of Vancouver’s Climate Emergency Action Plan, which analyzed the sources of Vancouver’s carbon pollution and committed to cutting these emissions in half by 2030.
Buildings present a significant opportunity for climate action, as burning natural gas, a fossil fuel, in Vancouver’s buildings accounts for nearly 60% of the carbon pollution (Operational Emissions).
Embodied Emissions, which come from manufacturing, transporting, construction, maintenance, and disposal of building materials, account for 11% of global carbon emissions.
What does it look like? Here is the timeline!
January 2023
- All permanently installed new air conditioning systems in existing detached homes must function to provide both heating and cooling. With the simple addition of a reversing valve, these same systems can provide the desired cooling and near-zero emissions heating, enabling homeowners to easily and cost-effectively reduce their carbon pollution.
- Renovations with a construction value over $250,000 will be required to electrify their existing space heating and hot water systems to the same requirements in Building Bylaw for new construction. For a home undergoing a renovation valued at $250,000 or more, the incremental cost of electrifying heating and hot water, after Provincial, City and BC Hydro rebates, averages $7,000; less than a 2% increase in project cost when replacing this equipment. The operating costs associated with switching from fossil fuels to heat pumps result in savings in most cases.
July 2023
- Reduction of carbon emissions limit for new 4-6 storey residential buildings (except hotels/motels) from 5.5 to 3kgCO2e/m2.
- Introduction of a 50% carbon emissions reduction requirement for all new building types without a GHGI limit (currently those building types have no requirement to reduce carbon emissions). For buildings that are not commercial or residential in occupancy, there are no current carbon limits in the By-law. Then, in 2025, this reduction target is proposed to increase to an 85% reduction.
- Introduction of a requirement for minimum MERV 13 filters in new building ventilation systems. Since 2015, Vancouver has experienced 60 days with air quality advisories largely due to high PM2.5 concentrations (particulates of 2.5 microns in size that are associated with wildfire smoke). MERV 13 filters can catch up to 85% of particulates from traffic- and wildfire-related air pollution, keeping our indoor air quality healthier, especially during wildfire season.
- Introduction of an Embodied Carbon reporting requirement for all new Part 3 buildings, and a limit of maximum 2x the standardized baseline. This is a first in North America! It will help prepare designers for future reduction requirements in 2025.
January 2025
- Reduction of the carbon emissions limit for new 7+ storey residential buildings from 6 to 3 kgCO2e/m2. Reduce the limit for new hotel buildings from 8 to 4 kgCO2e/m2. These limits effectively decarbonize hot water heating – the last major step (after heating) in reducing operational emissions in new buildings.
- Increase from 50% to an 85% reduction in carbon emissions for all new building types without a GHGI limit (i.e. assembly, care, and industrial). These reductions are generally consistent with decarbonizing space heating and hot water heating, and align these buildings with reductions requirements in residential and commercial buildings.
- Include estimated refrigerant gas emissions in definition and calculations of carbon emissions limits. This will help reduce the risk of leaks of high global warming potential gases through design.
- Require all dwelling units in new Part 3 buildings be served by active mechanical cooling capable of maintaining 26°C or less, with windows closed. This will reduce residents’ exposure to increased frequency of extreme heat events (such as the heat dome of 2021). Cost estimates of mechanical cooling are detailed here. In general, these changes will increase construction costs by 0-3.5%. Data from rezonings show all condo, and the majority of rental and non-market development, are already incorporating mechanical cooling.
- Require embodied carbon reductions of 10% for all new Part 3 buildings, and 20% for new low-rise buildings that can build with wood or mass timber (compared to concrete baseline).
- Require one of three options: sustainable sourcing of wood, concrete, or steel; disclosure of chemical ingredients of building products; or, 75% construction waste diversion and design for disassembly.
Why those changes and why they are important.
“The decisions we make now can secure a liveable future” said IPCC Chair Hoesung Lee.
Those changed are aligned with the Provincial CleanBC 2030 roadmap and necessary to limit global warming to around 1.5C. They address both Operational and Embodied Emissions to avoid:
- 4,600 tonnes CO2e/year by 2030 of Operational Carbon.
- 18,900 tonnes CO2e/year by 2030 of Embodied Carbon.
They further address upstream and downstream carbon emissions from materials, while also encouraging sustainable, healthy, and ‘circular’ materials and construction.
These changes are achievable without impact to construction costs, and consultations with industry experts and material suppliers confirm this is likely the case.
To read the official reports from the City of Vancouver, click here.
Do you want to chat? We’re pretty passionate about Climate Action and will be happy to nerd out about it!
