BC has committed to taking incremental steps to increase energy-efficiency requirements in the BC Building Code and to make buildings net-zero energy ready by 2032 in line with CleanBC goals. The BC Energy Step Code is a part of the BC Building Code.

The BC Energy Step Code sets performance requirements for new construction and groups them into “steps.” All authorities having jurisdiction over the BC Building Code—including local governments—can choose to require or incentivize builders to meet one or more steps of the BC Energy Step Code as an alternative to the code’s prescriptive requirements.

While not subject to the BC Energy Step Code, the City of Vancouver has its own Zero Emissions Building Plan (ZEBP) . The Plan has four strategies to require the majority of new buildings to have no operational greenhouse gas emissions by 2025, and all new buildings to have no greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.

On BC Energy Step Code website you will find information on how the BC Energy Step Code works, the multi-stakeholder Energy Step Code Council, local government implementation updates and other use useful resources.