Advocate to senior governments for building code standards to ensure buildings are designed to avoid overheating
(Full action name in the CCAS)4. Healthy Zero-Carbon Buildings / 4.1. Avoid carbon pollution and improve energy efficiency and resilience to climate impact... / B1. Update City policies and bylaws for new construction to rapidly phase out operational... /
B1.4Advocate for building code standards to avoid overheating
Progress
On time
- Not started
- Planning
- Implementation
- Continuous
Official description
Description
As summer temperatures increase and extreme heat events become more frequent as a result of climate change, measures to prevent overheating in buildings are critical to mitigating heat-related morbidity and mortality. This became clear during the 2021 heat dome which resulted in 619 deaths, the majority of which occurred indoors. As a result, the BC Coroners Service called for changes to the BC Building Code to require passive and active cooling in new housing.
In March 2024, the Province of British Columbia introduced code changes to require that buildings be designed to maintain an indoor temperature of not more than 26°C in at least one living space in each dwelling unit. The City participated in consultation sessions informing the development of these requirements and will follow their implementation. As opportunities arise, the City will continue to advocate for requirements from senior levels of government for new and existing buildings to be designed with passive and active measures to avoid overheating.