Putting energy efficiency in building codes

Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 19/06/2023 (849 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Cindy Choy

Why is the Manitoba government choosing the lowest tier for energy efficiency as part of its new building code for housing and small buildings? This is a moment for government to show they are responding to both the climate and affordability crises, yet this actually moves the province backwards.

As the Manitoba Regulatory Consultation Portal reports, “consulted stakeholders mostly advocated starting at higher Tier 2 or 3 for housing/small building energy efficiency requirements under NBC, but homebuilders identified a preference to start at Tier 1 with further engagement to develop a roadmap/time frame to advance through the higher tiers.”

The report also states, that, “Tier 1 for residential/small buildings would not represent a notable energy efficiency improvement.”

Why would we adopt a tier with no improvement in energy efficiency? As a country, we are working towards net-zero energy codes by 2050 (as represented by the highest Tier 5), but if we choose business as usual, we are ignoring this target. Manitoba does not have to aim low. If anything, we have a climate that demands higher performance. While we may not immediately adopt the highest tiers, we could certainly benefit from taking one step towards the longer-term goal.

A poorly understood implication of adopting the bare minimum today, is that the costs to “fix the building,” or upgrade the building to net zero energy in the future, is a very costly endeavour.

Achieving high energy efficiency performance in an existing home involves replacement or upgrading of doors, windows, whole-house insulation and mechanical systems; these costs can exceed $200,000 even with generous incentives from governments or Efficiency Manitoba. While adopting higher tiers alone will not fix this stark reality, it helps us see the importance of doing something today instead of putting it off (yet again).

So what is the cost of adopting a higher tier now and what is the related benefit to Manitobans? Even in an inflationary environment with rising interest rates, a further rise in building costs are in reality almost negligible. Tier 1 is essentially no change: the slightly increased insulation and more efficient air conditioning nets almost no new energy savings, and added costs represent less than half a per cent of the total cost for a new home (around $850).

Adopting Tier 2 includes the same changes as Tier 1 but adds air tightness testing. The test costs $250, takes 30 minutes to complete and represents big value in energy savings and comfort. Testing provides an important benefit by ensuring the quality of the build. If a house is not adequately airtight, air moves through exterior walls and ceilings pulling the energy out of your home, creating drafty rooms and potentially depositing moisture there leading to mould and rot.

From a builder’s perspective, rather than the air tightness test, they may choose to do an EnerGuide Rating evaluation as it opens eligibility for additional federal and provincial incentives and also gives the homeowner a more concrete understanding of their home’s energy efficiency.

The province could seriously consider adopting Tier 3, which represents approximately $5,000 in added costs (still less than two per cent of total cost) and requires building energy modelling. Modelling is a more precise representation of energy performance because homes can vary greatly depending on many variables like the quantity and size of the windows, the orientation of the home, and the shape of the floor plan. Maximizing these opportunities through modeling takes advantage of “free” energy savings through design.

Either through testing or modeling, Tiers 2 and 3 represent increased consumer protection. Though there are modest additional costs at construction, reduced energy costs to cool and heat the building start immediately and the high costs of future retrofits dwarf the incremental increase.

Manitoba lags behind other provinces in building code adoption.

Right now, a new home in 2023 can be built to energy performance standards that are 13 years out of date. The recent Canadian Energy Efficiency Scorecard from Efficiency Canada shows that Manitoba is ranked 8th place out of 11 spots.

We used to be first or second. Given all the benefits of energy efficient building and the urgency of our climate targets, Manitoba must take this small step to mandate higher energy efficiency tier adoption and show that we will be part of the solution. If the world being literally on fire does not motivate us to act, perhaps all the money-saving opportunities for Manitobans will.

Cindy Choy is chair of Sustainable Building Manitoba and former director of the Manitoba Green Building Program.