Buildings

For all Home programs - Retrofits and New Construction! 

1. Head to https://www.betterhomesbc.ca/ea/   
2. Search for Bulkley-Nechako Regional District under “Where is the home located?” to see all local Energy Advisors (EA) and their associated Service Organization (SO).
3. Review the “Company Name and Location” column from the formulated table and find your Smithers based EA.
4. Contact your Local EA directly for assistance with Home assessments.

Additional for NRCan program applicants 

5. Visit the NRCan Service Organization site and confirm your selected SO is on the list

Note: not all Service Organizations under your Postal Code on the NRCan site will have a Smithers/Northern BC based Energy Advisor. We recommend choosing your SO carefully.

6. Apply for the program with your selected SO
7. Follow the Grant Process through the NRCan website.

Have you been on a waitlist with your registered Service Organization and want to make sure your SO has a locally available Energy Advisor?

8. Follow steps 1 – 3 to find the local Smithers Energy Advisors and associated Service Organizations
9. Visit the NRCan Service Organization site and confirm your newly selected SO is on the list

Note: not all Service Organizations under your Postal Code will have a Smithers/Northern BC based Energy Advisor.

10. Consider re-registering for the program with the SO associated with a local EA.

If you have registered for the Federal Canada Greener Homes Initiative under a different Service Organization, login and reregister with the SO affiliated with your preferred local EA.

CleanBC Income Qualified Program 

Based on your household income, the CleanBC Income Qualified Program offers enhanced rebates to make energy-saving home upgrades more affordable. You may be eligible to receive enhanced rebates that cover 60-95% (to a capped amount) of your home upgrade costs including:

• Insulation
• Windows and Doors 
• Heat Pumps 
• Heat Pump water heaters 
• Electric Service Upgrades 
• Ventilation & Health and Saftey 

BC Hydro - Free Programs Based on Income 

BC Hydro offers a range of free programs for lower-income customers to help save energy and money. Click the BC Hydro link to view the programs and learn more. 

CleanBC Better Homes Grant 

As part of the CleanBC Roadmap to 2030, a variety of rebate opportunities have been developed to support homeowners and builders to improve the energy efficiency, comfort, and operating costs of their homes. Follow the link to the Clean BC Better Homes page and review the information, rebates, and support services available to help reduce you home energy use and GHG emissions.

Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) Greener Homes Initiative 

Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) is supporting Canadian homeowners to make where they live more energy efficient. NRCan is offering a range of incentives to support eligible home retrofits, pre- and post-retrofit EnerGuide evaluations, and interest-free loans for major home retrofits.

BCHydro Power Smart 

BCHydro offers rebates for energy-efficient renovations and products and free programs for making smart energy choices at home.

PNG Smart Energy Solutions 

PNG are offering Smart Energy Solutions programs to help Residential and Business customers become more energy efficient. New Construction Energy Step Code Support is also available to help cover the cost of a mid-construction blower door test.

CleanBC Better Building

Provides funding and capital incentives to encourage energy efficient design, construction, and renovation of commercial buildings.

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BCHydro Power Smart Business Programs  

Offers a variety of programs to help you improve your business’s energy efficiency, including incentives for making energy-efficiency upgrades and opportunities to learn from experts.

BCHydro Power Smart Energy Studies & Audits 

Offers support for Energy Studies and Audits and can identify inefficient systems at your industrial facility and provide an in-depth analysis of the upgrade options and costs so you can make a strategic decision.

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NRCan Green Industrial Facilities Manufacturing Program (GIFMP)

Provides financial assistance to support the implementation of energy efficiency and energy management solutions designed to maximize energy performance, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions, and competitiveness for industry in Canada.

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The BC Energy Step Code (BCESC) was implemented at Step 3 on May 1^st, 2023, through an amendment to the BC Building Code. With this Building Code update, new construction in British Columbia will be required to achieve approximately 20% higher energy efficiency than what was previously required by the BC Building Code. 

What is the BC Energy Step Code? 

The Performance Pathway of the BC Energy Step Code changes the building process in three main ways. New builds will now have to:

1. Conduct energy modeling at the design phase
2. Test air tightness at completion
3. Quantify mechanical efficiency and heating needs

To comply with the BC Energy Step Code, builders complete an energy model at the design phase and conduct on-site testing to demonstrate that both their design and the constructed building meet the requirements of the standard. They may use any materials or construction methods to do so. A third-party energy advisor (or other qualified professional, such as an engineer) can do the energy model and final testing required.

As shown below, the regulation sets performance targets for new construction and groups them into “steps” that apply across various building types and regions of the province.  The higher the steps, the more ambitious the energy efficiency targets.  By 2032, all new builds in BC will be net-zero ready.

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1. Builder works with an energy advisor from the design phase to create a model and energy efficiency target for the new builds. See tips to working with an Energy Advisor: https://docs.communityenergy.ca/wp-content/uploads/workingwithEA-Final.pdf 
2. Energy Advisor provides a standardized “pre-built” report that is to be submitted at time of building permit application.  See Compliance tools: https://energystepcode.ca/compliance-tools-part9  *Note: the building permit will not be issued without a satisfactory energy model from a qualified 3^rd party.
3. Builder and energy advisor stay in communication throughout the build. The energy model is updated with any changes to the design (e.g. window specification updates, mechanical system exchange, insulation level change, etc).
4. Optional but advised: a mid-construction blower door test is conducted by the Energy Advisor to find any air leaks and allow repair BEFORE seal-up stage. This is the cheapest and easiest time to seal them! A mid-construction blower door test case-study and on-site training demo here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1KCaX3_LLo&list=PLlbW7jHE7jWlFDmoxJrWaybY5UqpYM68z&index=11 
5. Final inspection and air-tightness test is conducted by the Energy Advisor.  Energy Advisor submits a standardized “as-built” report, to the authorities having jurisdiction of the BC building code, following construction and prior to final inspection or occupancy, to verify airtightness and energy performance. See Compliance tools: https://energystepcode.ca/compliance-tools-part9 
6. Occupancy permit can be issued if minimum required energy efficiency is achieved, as verified by the energy advisor in the “as-built” report.

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An initiative of the Canadian Home Builders Association (CHBA) Northern BC BC in collaboration with Community Energy Association, supporting Step Code implementation, training and information sharing in northern BC.  Freely access cold climate case studies, recorded webinars, technical assemblies booklets, upcoming events and more.

An excellent resource for Northern home owners and builders: www.communityenergy.ca/bal-north

You can learn more about the BC Energy Step Code by reviewing the following resources:

www.energystepcode.ca