The B.C. government last week announced the launch a new program to support whole-building retrofits for apartments, condominiums and co-ops, the CleanBC Multi-Unit Residential Building Retrofit Program.
A joint initiative with BC Hydro, the program is aimed at providing rebates and energy coaching to building owners, strata councils and equity co-op boards to make the switch to more energy-efficient and cleaner technologies in their buildings, such as heat pumps and LED lighting, as well as improved windows and ventilation.
The $61 million program will also provide funding for the cost of electrical upgrades required for buildings to switch from fossil fuels to clean electricity.
Meanwhile, the City of Delta’s new Community Energy and Emissions Plan has strategies related to buildings increasing energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through electrification of new and existing buildings in Delta and/or increasing the use of Renewable Natural Gas (RNG).
A staff report notes that can be achieved in new buildings through advancing the BC Energy Step Code and Zero Carbon Step Code.
In May 2023, meeting Step 3 (20 per cent more energy efficient buildings) of the Energy Step Code became a requirement for new builds under the BC Building Code.
The Delta strategies focus on education and incentives to achieve reductions that are over and above what is required by the province.
The plan also has aspirational targets including all new buildings (about 3,600 by 2030) will be built to Step 4 of the Energy Step Code (40 per cent more efficient), while 90 per cent of the community's new buildings will use only zero carbon energy sources for space and water heating.
As far as existing buildings, the plan notes that by 2030, 90 per cent of all the buildings in the City of Delta will be ones that are already standing today, but many buildings are currently using more energy than necessary. However, cost and affordability were identified during the city’s public consultations as barriers to Delta’s plan.
The plan an aspirational target that 1,100 homes and 150 businesses each year will undergo deep retrofits, which works out to about 8,800 homes and 1,200 businesses by 2030.
Another aspirational target would see 570 fossil fuel-heated homes and 60 businesses convert their fossil-fuel heating and hot water systems to zero emissions, powered by either electricity or locally sourced renewable gas. That would work out to 4,550 homes and 480 businesses by 2030.
The plan notes the City of Delta has limited jurisdiction over requirements for existing building retrofits but has an opportunity to influence and enable building owners to make investments in the energy efficiency of their buildings.
Recommendations include identifying and removing barriers to heat pump installation, including streamlining permitting processes, optimizing noise regulations and restructuring permit fees.
The proposed strategies also include, among other things, working with Metro Vancouver and other regional and community partners to jointly implement regional building retrofit programs where appropriate, including low-interest financing, as well as educating building owners about how to make their homes or businesses more energy efficient and the benefits.
The strategies also include advocating for financing options, such as Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) to assist homeowners.
Earlier this year, FortisBC Energy Inc. announced a $50 million pilot program for deep energy retrofits but noted a significant number of homes across B.C. were built before energy efficiency was incorporated into the National Energy Code for Buildings in 1997. Many of the homes are expected to remain in active use by 2050.
