Vancouver City Council unanimously approved the Green Homes Program in July 2008. The Green Homes Program is a package of building by-law amendments and new requirements for one and two family dwellings that will make the Vancouver building code for low rise residential construction the most comprehensive green building code in North America.

The cumulative effect of these changes they estimate to be not only improved human health, water conservation and blazing a trail for future technologies but most importantly a 33% reduction in GHG’s over current practice. This will amount annual savings of over 6000 tonnes of GHG’s annually within 5 years and should get most homes in Vancouver to achieve a minimum of Energuide 80. This is achieved with less than a 2% incremental investment in overall construction costs. Not land costs, or the final sale price, but construction costs.

Some of the highlights of our new code include:

• R22 insulation in walls
• R12 insulation around the slab
• Energy Star Windows
• In home energy use display meters
• Dual flush toilets
• Direct vent and electronic ignition gas fire places
• Heat Recovery Ventilators
• Solar ready service shaft
• Infrastructure for the charging of Electric Vehicles
• Mandatory Energuide audit with blower door test.

The Sustainable Development Program recognizes that this is merely the first step down a challenging road to eventual carbon neutrality in 2030, but it is a start. Now the important work of getting the necessary training to industry for the September 5th roll out really begins. The website www.vancouver.ca/greenhomes communicates when and how to get access to more information and training on this initiative.