What is the BC Step Code?
The Province of British Columbia has committed to taking incremental steps to increase energy-efficiency requirements in the BC Building Code to make buildings net-zero energy ready by 2032. The BC Energy Step Code--a part of the BC Building Code--supports that effort.
How does it work? The BC Energy Step Code takes a new, performance-based approach rather than the traditional prescriptive approach. The BC Energy Step Code does not specify how to construct a building, but identifies an energy-efficiency target that must be met and lets the designer/builder decide how to meet it.
To comply with the BC Energy Step Code, builders must use energy modelling software and on-site testing to demonstrate that both their design and the constructed building meet the requirements of the BC Energy Step Code. The new standard empowers builders to pursue innovative, creative, cost-effective solutions, and allows them to incorporate leading-edge technologies as they come available.
The BC Energy Step Code also supports consumer choice, by allowing designers and builders to use natural gas, electricity, or other energy sources for their project without imposing a penalty on this decision. This fuel-neutral approach provides builders with the flexibility to make energy-efficient buildings using all available technologies.
Is it required? The BC Energy Step Code is currently a voluntary standard builders across B.C. can use. In addition, local governments can choose to require or encourage builders to meet one or more steps of the BC Energy Step Code as an alternative to the BC Building Code’s prescriptive requirements.
When does it take effect? The BC Energy Step Code came into force in April 2017 so builders have the option of building to the requirements in the Energy Step Code at any time. Local governments can set bylaw requirements for builders to meet one or more steps effective December 15, 2017 (when local governments’ authority to set technical building requirements by bylaw will change under the Building Act).
How does this affect a new build?
The new energy efficiency requirements will affect some of the things in a new build in order to comply. Such items include:
All of these items add to the cost of a new build and should be taken into consideration in your overall budget. There may also be increased lead times depending on the products/materials specified and where they're manufactured.
For more information visit: www.energystepcode.ca or contact us today!
The Province of British Columbia has committed to taking incremental steps to increase energy-efficiency requirements in the BC Building Code to make buildings net-zero energy ready by 2032. The BC Energy Step Code--a part of the BC Building Code--supports that effort.
How does it work? The BC Energy Step Code takes a new, performance-based approach rather than the traditional prescriptive approach. The BC Energy Step Code does not specify how to construct a building, but identifies an energy-efficiency target that must be met and lets the designer/builder decide how to meet it.
To comply with the BC Energy Step Code, builders must use energy modelling software and on-site testing to demonstrate that both their design and the constructed building meet the requirements of the BC Energy Step Code. The new standard empowers builders to pursue innovative, creative, cost-effective solutions, and allows them to incorporate leading-edge technologies as they come available.
The BC Energy Step Code also supports consumer choice, by allowing designers and builders to use natural gas, electricity, or other energy sources for their project without imposing a penalty on this decision. This fuel-neutral approach provides builders with the flexibility to make energy-efficient buildings using all available technologies.
Is it required? The BC Energy Step Code is currently a voluntary standard builders across B.C. can use. In addition, local governments can choose to require or encourage builders to meet one or more steps of the BC Energy Step Code as an alternative to the BC Building Code’s prescriptive requirements.
When does it take effect? The BC Energy Step Code came into force in April 2017 so builders have the option of building to the requirements in the Energy Step Code at any time. Local governments can set bylaw requirements for builders to meet one or more steps effective December 15, 2017 (when local governments’ authority to set technical building requirements by bylaw will change under the Building Act).
How does this affect a new build?
The new energy efficiency requirements will affect some of the things in a new build in order to comply. Such items include:
- Energy modeling
- Pre-drywall air tightness blower test
- Thicker walls
- Better insulation performance (Structural Insulated Panels, Hot Roofs etc...)
- High performance windows & doors (meeting required U-Values in the City of Vancouver & NAFS)
- High performance HRV systems (HVAC, Heating, & Venting)
- Energy efficient LED light fixtures
- Energy efficient appliances
- Post construction air tightness blower test
All of these items add to the cost of a new build and should be taken into consideration in your overall budget. There may also be increased lead times depending on the products/materials specified and where they're manufactured.
For more information visit: www.energystepcode.ca or contact us today!
What is a Net Zero Home?
Net Zero Homes are defined as homes that produce as much clean energy as they consume. Up to 80% more energy efficient than typical new homes, Net Zero Homes are extremely well built with extra insulation, high-performance windows, and excellent airtightness to minimize heating and cooling needs. Appliances, lighting, and mechanical systems are all as energy efficient as possible. And to offset the remaining energy needed for the home’s annual consumption, Net Zero Homes use renewable energy systems – commonly solar – to generate electricity.
What is a Net Zero Ready Home?
Net Zero Ready Homes are built to the exact same efficiency standards as Net Zero Homes. The only difference is that the renewable energy system (i.e., solar panels) have not yet been installed. However, everything has already been designed and constructed to easily put the solar panels in place. Think of Net Zero Ready Homes as wired for its future renewable energy system, so that when the homeowners are able to invest in installing solar panels, it’s ready to go. This is called “PV Ready”.
Why would you choose a Net Zero Home over a Net Zero Ready Home?
Renewable energy sources like solar do have an upfront investment that some prospective homeowners aren’t yet ready to purchase. By buying a Net Zero Ready Home, you have an extremely efficient home that’s easy to upgrade to a Net Zero Home when you’re ready.
Regardless of whether you pursue the initial financial investment of the renewable energy source initially or later, both Net Zero and Net Zero Ready Homes are significantly more energy efficient choices than traditionally built homes. The benefits of both options include:
Investing in a Net Zero or Net Zero Ready Home means embracing an energy efficient future. If you’re interested in reducing your home’s energy consumption, a Net Zero or Net Zero Ready Home might be right for you.
Source: Canadian Home Builders' Association
Net Zero Homes are defined as homes that produce as much clean energy as they consume. Up to 80% more energy efficient than typical new homes, Net Zero Homes are extremely well built with extra insulation, high-performance windows, and excellent airtightness to minimize heating and cooling needs. Appliances, lighting, and mechanical systems are all as energy efficient as possible. And to offset the remaining energy needed for the home’s annual consumption, Net Zero Homes use renewable energy systems – commonly solar – to generate electricity.
What is a Net Zero Ready Home?
Net Zero Ready Homes are built to the exact same efficiency standards as Net Zero Homes. The only difference is that the renewable energy system (i.e., solar panels) have not yet been installed. However, everything has already been designed and constructed to easily put the solar panels in place. Think of Net Zero Ready Homes as wired for its future renewable energy system, so that when the homeowners are able to invest in installing solar panels, it’s ready to go. This is called “PV Ready”.
Why would you choose a Net Zero Home over a Net Zero Ready Home?
Renewable energy sources like solar do have an upfront investment that some prospective homeowners aren’t yet ready to purchase. By buying a Net Zero Ready Home, you have an extremely efficient home that’s easy to upgrade to a Net Zero Home when you’re ready.
Regardless of whether you pursue the initial financial investment of the renewable energy source initially or later, both Net Zero and Net Zero Ready Homes are significantly more energy efficient choices than traditionally built homes. The benefits of both options include:
- Exceptional Value: Your utility bills will fall to an all-time low and stay low all year round. Net Zero and Net Zero Ready Homes protect you from future increases in energy prices. And, built to higher standards (an airtight building envelope, improved insulation, high efficiency windows), these homes are more durable.
- A Better Living Experience: Advanced construction methods and superior heating, cooling and fresh air ventilation systems mean even temperatures throughout the house, better indoor air quality (with less allergens and asthma triggers such as dust and pollen), and less outside noise, providing greater comfort and healthier living.
- Environmentally Responsible: All the features of both Net Zero and Net Zero Ready Homes work together to significantly minimize your household’s environmental footprint by preserving our natural resources and protecting against climate change.
Investing in a Net Zero or Net Zero Ready Home means embracing an energy efficient future. If you’re interested in reducing your home’s energy consumption, a Net Zero or Net Zero Ready Home might be right for you.
Source: Canadian Home Builders' Association
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What is Passive House?
Passive building achieves energy efficiency primarily through an airtight envelope (the physical structures like walls, roofs, and windows that separate the exterior and interior of a building). Energy modeling is done to determine the energy performance of both the whole building and its individual elements which optimizes the building's performance. Here are the main factors that contribute to a passive house:
1. Proper Insulation: All edges, corners, connections and penetrations must be planned with special care in order to meet the building's design requirements.
2. Air Tightness: Ensuring the least amount of penetrations in a home to be the most air tight.
3. No Thermal Bridges: Escaping heat follows the path of lease resistance. Thermal bridging generally occurs when there's a break in, or penetration of the building envelope (e.g. insulation). Thermal bridges can also be found at:
- The interface between the wall and floor
- The interface between the wall and roof
- Holes in the building envelope for pipes and cables
- Window and door reveals
4. Proper Windows: Usually triple paned windows are installed to help reduce thermal bridging and the loss of heat.
5. Proper Orientation: The home should be placed in such a way so that the sun can heat the house during the Winter and shade is provided in the Summer.
6. Use of a proper Heat Recovery Ventilation (HRV) System: This provides the inside of the home with fresh air without letting the heat out and reduces the number of penetrations in a home.
7. Heating is supplied by your body heat, the sun, your appliances, light bulbs, and even your TV!
Passive homes use up to 85 percent less energy for heating and cooling than the average home. It is also net-zero which means it produces the same amount of energy as it consumes. Although you may be spending more initially on materials and systems that go into your home, you will save money in the long term on your heating bill and help preserve the environment!
For more information please visit: http://www.passivehousecanada.com/downloads/iPHA_Brochure.pdf
Our Preferred Building Technologies for a High Performance Home
What are Nudura Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs)?
Effectively Nudura ICFs are a stay-in-place concrete form that consists of two expanded polystyrene panels (EPS), spaced apart in the desired wall thickness. Polypropylene webs (or ties) are spaced 6" or 8" on centre to withstand the concrete pressure and to allow the attachment of wall finishes (damp proof membrane or rainscreen on the outside, and drywall on the inside).
Why does JDL Homes use Nudura ICFs?
Effectively Nudura ICFs are a stay-in-place concrete form that consists of two expanded polystyrene panels (EPS), spaced apart in the desired wall thickness. Polypropylene webs (or ties) are spaced 6" or 8" on centre to withstand the concrete pressure and to allow the attachment of wall finishes (damp proof membrane or rainscreen on the outside, and drywall on the inside).
Why does JDL Homes use Nudura ICFs?
- Increased Efficiency: The Nudura ICF panels comes in 8ft lengths x 18" high so we can put up more walls in less time. They are also designed to be collapsible so they take up less space when they're transported or stored on our jobsites. Another great feature we love about these ICFs is that they're reversible, non-handed, and is available in both angled and radiused profiles. During assembly, they click into place which prevents form uplifts resulting in plumb walls!
- Sound proofing: The thick multi-layer nature of the forms help increase sound proofing.
- Superior R-Values: The City of Vancouver requires a rating of R-22 for all basement and above grade walls. You can achieve R-24 with Nudura ICFs, which is 10% more compared to traditional assemblies. As a result, it can help with energy savings in heating, cooling, and ventilation, creating a more superior performing home.
- Increased Interior Square Footage: Using ICFs in basements eliminates the need to build frost walls. We can directly drywall over the ICF panels giving you more interior floor space.
- Cost: Nudura ICFs is 30% less expensive than conventional forms, savings that we pass onto you!
- Less Waste & Saves Trees: Unlike other conventional ICFs on the market, you can cut these panels to the desired lengths and use the remaining portion for another area, decreasing overall waste!
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What are Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs)?
SIPs consist of an inner core of Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) which has been laminated between two sheets of Oriented Strand Board (OSB) using a Structural Adhesive. This Engineered System provides an extremely strong building panel that does not require any additional framing for support. Large Pre-Fabricated SIP panels make the framing process much faster than any other framing method and enables a more airtight, well insulated building for high Energy Efficiency. They are available for wall and roof assemblies.
Why does JDL Homes use SIPs?
- They go up Quickly and Easily. Depending upon the size and design of a home, it can be enclosed with SIPs within days or even hours. This saves money on labor, insurance and financing, as well as energy on the job site. Once the SIPs are installed, you can apply virtually any finish to polish off the exterior — Stucco, Stone, Hardie Plank, or Brick.
- They’re Flexible. SIPs can arrive at the home site and the panels will be cut exactly to the home’s design at our factory, then numbered for easy installation, which results in less wasted materials and resources.
- They’re Energy Efficient. SIPs cut heating and cooling costs by as much as 60 percent over products used for conventional “stick” construction. Even where wall thickness is the same, SIPs outperform stick framing on whole-wall energy performance by 40 to 60 percent, according to a study by Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
- They’re Soundproof. SIPs block sound like few other materials—a big perk, especially in bedrooms, dens, home offices and media rooms. This due to the solid construction and lack of air transfer.
- They’re Environmentally Friendly. Components that comprise SIPs come from renewable resources. The insulation is a form of plastic, and oriented strand board (OSB) is made from fast-growing trees and shrubs once considered waste by the lumber industry.
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What are the benefits of a SIPs Roof?
One primary benefit of SIPs in roofs is their long clear-span capability. The large, single-piece panels can typically span up to 20 feet, reducing the need for interior columns or other intermediate structural supports. Design professionals also can use SIPs in roof structures without an engineered truss system. These capabilities work well for vaulted ceilings, large open spaces, and soaring rooflines, which are common in schools, lodging facilities, multi-housing, and other institutional and commercial building designs.
SIPs also work well in cantilevered roof eaves and gable-end overhangs extending up to 6 feet. The monolithic panels can help speed construction of such design features, compared to framing with individual components.
One primary benefit of SIPs in roofs is their long clear-span capability. The large, single-piece panels can typically span up to 20 feet, reducing the need for interior columns or other intermediate structural supports. Design professionals also can use SIPs in roof structures without an engineered truss system. These capabilities work well for vaulted ceilings, large open spaces, and soaring rooflines, which are common in schools, lodging facilities, multi-housing, and other institutional and commercial building designs.
SIPs also work well in cantilevered roof eaves and gable-end overhangs extending up to 6 feet. The monolithic panels can help speed construction of such design features, compared to framing with individual components.
Mark Cooper, Home Builders Association Vancouver's 2019/20 Chair, has selected: Doug Langford of JDL Home Inc. for the Chair Award of Honour for his service to the Association, working with HAVAN’s education & training to promote higher performing homes & mentoring other builders in this field.
