OSPE - COVID-19 Economic Recovery Recommendations - Provincial Government - 9

4. Modernize Ontario's Building Code.
The construction and renovation industries employ hundreds of thousands of Ontario workers, which have been greatly impacted by
COVID-19. The National Building Code (NBC 2020) and the National Energy Code for Buildings (NECB 2020) contain new guidelines
for energy efficiency in homes, small buildings, and commercial and institutional buildings. NBC 2020 section 9.36 focuses on energy
efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions to support a long-term goal of a net zero energy ready (NZER) model building code
by 2030. Provinces have the option to adopt these provisions. Ontario should adopt these sections of the NBC 2020 into the Ontario
Building Code O.Reg. 332/12 and define clear steps and deadlines to achieve a NZER code by 2030.
By doing so, not only would Ontario decrease its carbon footprint, but would also create jobs moving forward, especially under the lens
of more energy efficient buildings and retrofits. This would also provide opportunity to lower life cycle costs to building owners and
retrain workers in particularly hard-hit sectors. Ontario could learn from other jurisdictions, like British Columbia, who in 2017 became the
first North American jurisdiction to create a regulated pathway for net-zero energy-ready buildings, through its BC Energy Step Code.
British Columbia's success rests on:

* Prioritizing the Building Envelope. An envelope-first approach designs a measurable level of performance into the very fabric

of the building, permanently wedding energy efficiency to the structure.

* Prescribing outcomes, not processes by defining a target, and working backwards with fixed interim deadlines and requirements.

* Providing a baseline and working towards capacity building by allowing local governments to adopt higher energy-efficiency

requirements at a pace that works for them.

* Consulting appropriately with municipalities and local governments, professional associations, and utilities
These measures will help stimulate the COVID-19 economy, as greener buildings have been proven to lead to lower utility bills, and
higher property value. Having these provisions in the Ontario Building Code will significantly increase the number of green homes and
buildings being built. This is a unique opportunity to both create jobs and increase consumer spending as well as contribute to Canada's
transition to a low-carbon future.
The recovery from COVID-19 also provides the Ontario government with the opportunity to further support companies in the retrofitting of
existing buildings with energy-efficient and low-carbon options. The goal should be to have existing buildings consume at least 30% less
energy than 2005 levels by 2030. This could be achieved through energy labelling or EnerGuide. This requires assessing the
energy efficiency of existing buildings on renovating or selling and should also be included in the Ontario Building Code. There needs to
be additional financial support to make these cost-efficient, until the retrofit industry is more mature, such as reductions to HST/PST and
enhancements to the current SaveONEnergy program.
These are strategic steps towards the development of sustainable communities for current and future generations. Green buildings
provide some of the most effective means to achieving a range of goals, such as addressing climate change, creating sustainable and
thriving communities, and driving economic growth.
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OSPE - COVID-19 Economic Recovery Recommendations - Provincial Government

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