British Columbia’s Green Building Code is now in effect.

The new code for the province of B.C. applies to all new homes, multi-family residential buildings under five storeys, and small commercial and industrial buildings. Ultra low flow toilets and other water efficient plumbing fixtures are now mandatory for all new construction.

The new code also features amendments to the Development Cost Charge (DCC) provisions for developers. In principle, lower DCC’s will offset some of the appliance and constructin improvement costs that may raise the price of a new home.

Although these improvements may cost more to begin with, they will pay for themselves in energy and water savings over time.

The government is not currently forcing existing homeowners to renovate to Green Building Code Standards, though voluntary renovations that include energy efficient appliance and ultra low flow toilets are encouraged. Rebates are currently being offered by both federal and provincial governments to underwrite some of these costs.

The provincial government offers PST exemptions on ENERGY STAR-qualified appliances, windows, doors, skylights and home heating equipment, water tanks, weather stripping, caulking, and window insulation, and energy efficient home heaters. More information about the new Building Code can be found at www.housing.gov.bc.ca and open the link called “Greening the BC Building Code”.

You can now receive up to $12,325 tax free for home energy improvements. The provincial LiveSmart BC and the federal ecoENERGY programs now exist to help home owners. Here’s how the program works:

1. Call a certified energy advisor to assess your home. For a one-time cost of $150, the advisor will conduct an on-site walk-through assessment of heating, hot water, windows, doors, ventilation, insulation and overall home air leakage. They will also prepare a customized report with suggested upgrades.
2. Choose which upgrades are right for you. Make improvements within 18 months of your assessment.
3. Arrange a follow up energy assessment. It will cost $150 but will be rebated if your home is proven to be more energy efficient. The certified energy advisor will submit the paperwork on your behalf.
4. Receive money within 3 months of completing these steps. You’ll receive one cheque from LiveSmart BC and another from ecoENERGY.

For more information visit: www.onedayathome.ca or www.livesmartbc.ca

Also, have look at some of our favorite green design and building publications:
Dwell
Innovative Home Magazine
Wallpaper
Vancouver Ecodensity
City of Vancouver Green Buildings

Here are some great new ways to save energy:

Energy-Efficiency
When building or renovating we recommend using recycled, low-emissive, and regionally sourced building materials. Low-emission windows and external shading devices improve air quality and help control indoor temperatures, while oversized windows offer plenty of natural light.

Smart Meters
Smart Meters are the newest and best metering system to come out for residential strata buildings and we encourage you to look for properties that have this system. It is an improved way of monitoring and measuring energy use and an intelligent metering of electrical consumption that will generate a smaller eco-footprint and smaller utility bills. These meters are placed in each home to measure amounts of electricity, hot water, heat, and air conditioning consumed by the resident. As an alternative to paying strata fees that include blanket charges for hot water, heat, and other utilities destined for individual consumption, smart meters will give the strata council the ability to bill each unit for actual energy consumed. Gone are the days of having your strata bills increased by neighbors who use an excessive amount of heat, air conditioning or electricity!

Water Management
Water-efficient landscaping, storm water management, water tanks, and water-efficient fixtures are all great ways to lessen the burden on the municipal water system and save water!

Geothermal
Unlike traditional furnaces and air conditioners, geothermal heating uses renewable energy and emits no greenhouse gases. Geothermal systems create 75% less emissions than electric heating (which create approx. 2,500 kg/year). That means a 1,875 kg/year reduction in emissions per home. Geothermal heating and air conditioning is low-cost, reliable, and environmentally sustainable. Here’s how it works: In cool weather, water or a mixture of water and anti-freeze is circulated through pipes beneath the building to absorb the earth’s natural heat. This heat is then transferred back to the building where it’s used to heat water and homes. In hot weather, the process is reversed. Instead of absorbing heat from the earth and transferring it to the indoor air, the loop now absorbs heat from the indoor air and transfers it back into the earth. Because of the relatively cooler temperature of the water and earth, the geothermal system is actually more efficient for cooling than the typical air conditioner, which rejects heat into air that’s equally hot, if not hotter.