Published: 2022
Organizations: Efficiency Canada, Carleton University, Low Carbon Cities Canada (LC3)
Format: Guide
Estimated Reading Time: ~30 minutes (Full report: 39 pages — see audience-specific sections below for recommended reading)
Why We Recommend It?
This guide contains everything you need to understand tiered codes, the advantages of adopting an ambitious tier, and how municipalities can support the industry to adopt the codes. While primarily developed for municipalities, it delivers valuable insights for all building industry stakeholders. It clearly explains the rationale and adoption pathways for the tiered codes, outlines major changes in the NECB and NBC 2020, and provides recommendations to help municipalities support industry compliance. The guide equips professionals across the sector to prepare for an increasingly performance-driven market and to accelerate the transition to net-zero buildings.
Here’s a quick look at what the guide covers:
Audience-Specific
For Building Owners & Developers
Key Takeaways:
- National policies signal the growing role of the building sector in achieving Canada’s net-zero future, reinforcing the push for higher energy performance standards.
- Polling shows that NZER building codes are supported by a majority of Canadians in all regions.
- Municipalities are expected to adopt tiered national codes as a tool to meet their climate action goals, driving new compliance expectations for developers.
- Early adoption of NZER requirements offers strategic advantages, reducing compliance risks while enhancing project marketability and long-term resilience.
Recommended Reading:
- Pages 6–7 – Climate commitments signal increasingly stringent future building policies
- Pages 11–12 – Widespread support for net-zero buildings
- Pages 14–23 – NECB and NBC 2020 explained
For Designers & Consultants
Key Takeaways:
- National policies reinforce the growing role of designers in advancing Canada’s net-zero goals, requiring increased expertise in energy performance and low-carbon practices.
- Municipal adoption of tiered codes will drive higher performance expectations, influencing how projects are scoped, designed, and reviewed.
- Early adoption of NZER practices future-proofs careers, ensuring skillsets remain aligned with evolving codes and high-performance building demand.
Recommended Reading:
- Pages 6–7 – Climate commitments signal increasingly stringent future building policies
- Pages 11–12 – Widespread support for net-zero buildings
- Pages 14–23 – NECB and NBC 2020 explained
For Builders & Contractors
Key Takeaways:
- National policies signal the growing role of the building sector in achieving Canada’s net-zero future, reinforcing the push for higher energy performance standards.
- Municipalities are ramping up code enforcement, requiring contractors to meet stricter energy performance targets.
- Builders can gain a competitive edge by adopting NZER-aligned construction methods ahead of mandatory requirements.
Recommended Reading:
- Pages 6–7 – Climate commitments signal increasingly stringent future building policies
- Pages 11–12 – Widespread support for net-zero buildings
- Pages 14–23 – NECB and NBC 2020 explained
For Government & Utilities
Key Takeaways:
- Shows how tiered model codes support municipal climate goals while offering flexibility in adoption and implementation.
- Offers strategies to enhance compliance enforcement, workforce training, and public communication, critical for code success.
- Encourages municipalities to take leadership through green development standards, permitting incentives, and alignment with other policies.
- Emphasizes the importance of early engagement, cross-sector collaboration, and leveraging federal support.
Recommended Reading: Full report — the guide provides everything needed to understand tiered codes, the advantages of adopting an ambitious tier, and how municipalities can use the new codes to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
Next Steps & Related Reading...
- Curious how the industry can benefit from the codes? Explore our Business Case and Case Studies sections to understand how meeting higher tiered codes can yield benefits beyond just energy cost savings.
- Concerned about the cost of adopting higher-tier codes? Visit our Funding & Financing Resources section to find support for your low-carbon projects.
- Would code-specific workshops be helpful to you? We’re exploring future deep-dive training sessions—let us know if this is something you’d be interested in by contacting us.