HRM urges province to adopt updated national building codes

Halifax Mayor Mike Savage wants to nail down when the Houston government will live up to its commitment to adopt new national building standards.

Savage sent a letter to Housing Minister John Lohr earlier this month emphasizing that adoption of the 2020 National Building Code of Canada and the 2020 National Energy Code of Canada for Buildings is crucial to help the city and province meet net-zero carbon emissions targets by 2030.

"Delaying implementation of the codes poses significant obstacles to realizing both HRM's and the province's emissions reduction goals," the mayor said in an Aug. 2 letter to Lohr that was obtained by the CBC.

The province had promised to adopt the updated building codes as part of its climate change plan released in December 2022. But a year later, Lohr announced a delay in implementation of the new national standards, citing supply chain issues and labour shortages.

 

In Canada, provinces and territories regulate building construction, but can adopt and modify the national building codes that are developed as a model.

The new codes include changes to performance requirements for heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), and more comprehensive frameworks to achieve higher levels of energy efficiency in buildings.

Some of the new standards could be attained with the installation of solar panels, proper insulation and electric heating, for instance.

While the city is making energy-efficiency improvements to buildings and properties it owns, and developing new energy-efficient buildings, it can only encourage private developers to adopt a more sustainable approach, says Kevin Boutilier, the city's clean energy manager.

"The building code is mandated by the province and if we were to try and mandate that, we would be inconsistent with the province and there would be no teeth to it," Boutilier told CBC in an interview.

But he said the time has come for more energy-efficient construction.

"We're essentially locking ourselves into many years of high-emitting buildings if we don't tackle the problem now," Boutilier said. 

The province's climate change plan consists of five tiers for improving energy efficiency, with the goal of eventually achieving net-zero carbon emissions targets. Nova Scotia promised to reach the third tier, marking a 50 per cent improvement in energy efficiency, by 2028.

No provincial timeline

Two years after committing to adopt the updated national building codes, the province has yet to settle on a timeline. 

"Adoption will involve comprehensive education and training on the new requirements with key stakeholder groups," the Housing Department said in a written statement to CBC. 

"We will continue to monitor conditions and work with key stakeholders to determine timing of the changes."

Chris Benjamin of the Ecology Action Centre says his organization produced a report in 2019 to calculate how many jobs would be created if the province met all of its energy and greenhouse gas reduction commitments by 2030. 

"They came up with 15,000 a year until 2030," said Benjamin. "It's a huge opportunity to create new jobs to attract young talent, newcomer talent, and also to address job shortages in communities that are here in the province."

Implementation of the new building standards would help address several other issues Nova Scotians face, Savage wrote.

"Timely adoption of the codes is also critical for fostering sustainable regional development," the mayor said in the letter to Lohr. "Mandating higher energy performance requirements for new buildings will help address energy security and affordability challenges faced by residents." 

Michael Kabalen of the Affordable Housing Association of Nova Scotia says although costs will increase with more energy-efficient construction, buildings developed with a sustainable approach are much more affordable in the long run. 

Kabalen said particularly in the rental market, by lowering the cost of power and water bills, "things that are outside of my control, then I can continue to keep my rent lower for longer."

"Affordability isn't just about what you pay for something, it's what you pay to keep it," he said.