The session is intended to present for feedback a proposed long-term plan for Step Code adoption for (Part 9/Part 3 construction) in the City of Victoria, the District of Saanich, and the District of Central Saanich.

To date we have hosted:
• information sessions with municipal stakeholders, Part 3 and Part 9 builders and industry members,
• a survey, and
• two solutions labs, which investigated adoption scenarios with builders, developers, architects, energy advisors, modellers, etc.

This workshop will:
• Review the feedback to date
• Present proposed Step Code adoption pathway
• Provide opportunity for feedback on the option presented.

Please see the registration links below. And tell your friends!

Part 9 Industry Workshop - Thursday, June 2, 8:30 am Register here

Part 3 Industry Worksop - Thursday, June 2, 10:30 am Register here

Currently, the District’s building bylaw requires compliance with the lower steps of the Step Code, which for residential construction like new homes, would be Step 3. Council supports the review of the upper steps, and that means that staff will be engaging with construction industry stakeholders through information sessions and (hopefully) in-person workshops over the next few months.

The purpose of the engagement process is to facilitate collaboration between local governments in the CRD and the building and development industry to determine how to best use the Step Code to meet government climate action targets while providing industry predictability and consistency.

There are three key objectives of the engagement:

• Establish a cohort of municipalities who intend to participate in the engagement, and who are interested in adopting additional Step Code requirements to accelerate GHG reduction from new construction
• Develop a fulsome understanding of the opportunities and challenges associated with a variety of Step Code adoption scenarios by providing varied opportunities for feedback from industry members
• Identify a preferred adoption scenario for Council's in the CRD to consider through a collaborative solutions-oriented process.

Join us for one of two virtual Industry Workshop/Information Sessions:

• Part 3 Industry Workshop – Wednesday, March 2, 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm Register here
• Part 9 Industry Workshop – Wednesday, March 9, 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm Register here

For new builds, the District of Central Saanich is moving forward requiring Step 1 of the BC Energy Step Code in 2020. (Starting January 1, 2021, Step 2 or 3 construction will be required, depending on building type.)

To encourage higher step code construction, the District is offering rebates on building permit fees ranging from 25% for achieving Step 3 to 100% for reaching Step 5, when building to a higher step than required.

What does this mean?

Step 1 is simple: Just construct to the BC Building Code. The only additional requirement is to consult with a certified Energy Advisor to model and test your new build. While there are no specific targets to meet, it does allow you an opportunity to become familiar with the principles of energy efficient construction: airtightness; building envelope; and, heating, venting and cooling equipment.

Central Saanich is offering a one-time rebate of up to $500 per builder for the cost of an energy advisor and/or mid-construction blower door test.Please contact staff at the Building Department at 250-544-4217 for information.

For rezonings, Central Saanich currently requires Step 3 compliant construction for those buildings constructed following a rezoning approval.

Learn more about the District of Central Saanich’s approach

Built Green Technical Workshops

You’re invited to technical workshops, as some industry readies itself for the next step of BC Energy Step Code, while others prepare for the introduction of Step Code in their area.

The workshop will include a case study informed by local specifications, courtesy of 3rd Generation Homes’ BUILT GREEN® Gold certified project, will consider the building techniques in the area, and alternatives as step code requirements increase.

Langford Workshop

When: Thursday, Nov. 21, 8:30 – 10:30 a.m.

Where: 3588 Honeycrisp Avenue (McCormick Meadows), Langford

RSVP to a workshop: info@builtgreencanada.ca – we encourage you to bring others interested in attending, though please do RSVP with numbers.

** Notes:

- Please keep in mind that three of these locations are builds-in-progress, so if you have a hard hat and steel-toed boots, we encourage you to wear them.

- Parking is available on the street. While we realize distance may prevent some of you from attending, we hope one of the locations will work for you.

• Practical suggestions will be discussed that reflect on economies of scale.

• Built Green will share updates that provide alternate compliance pathways for an even greater alignment with the BC Energy Step Code in our 2020 checklists.

Education credits for builders: pending eligibility for 2 CPD points with BC Housing and CPL units with the Planning Institute of British Columbia.

Central Saanich staff have reviewed the survey results and prepared a What We Heard report for Council on the key outcomes. The report was presented to Council on August 19, 2019 and based on Council's direction, staff will be preparing minor alterations to facilitate the introduction of the BC Energy Step Code for new construction as of January 2020. The report to Council and survey results can be found under the Document Library section.

Council has endorsed implementation of Step 1 as of January 1, 2020; and Step 3 for most new residential and Step 2 for new commercial buildings as of January 1, 2021. The Step Code levels relate to higher energy efficient construction, equipment and tight air barriers which will reduce green house gas emissions and help the District reach our climate leadership plan goals.