Council adopts changes to District of Squamish Building Bylaw on Energy Step Code requirements

Council adopted an amendment to part 17.4 (b) of the District of Squamish Building Bylaw on December 4 to allow multiple options for energy efficiency and carbon emissions compliance on large projects in Squamish regulated under part 3 of the BC Building Code.

The amendment was initiated in order to ease the financial burden on builders due to Energy Step Code constraints while maintaining low-carbon emission standards on construction within Squamish. 

The amendment to part 17.4 (b) is in bold as follows:

Any residential building regulated by Part 3 of the Building Code must be designed and constructed to meet the minimum performance requirements specified in Step 4 of the Energy Step Code; or

Be designed and constructed to meet the minimum performance requirements specified in Step 3 of the Energy Step Code and be designed and constructed to meet the minimum performance requirements specified in EL-4 of the Zero Carbon Step Code provided where business, personal service and/or mercantile occupancies are proposed, the entire building meets minimum performance requirements of EL-4. (Bylaw 3020, 2023)

The District is planning on adopting the zero carbon step code in 2024 and will be engaging with builders early in the new year—stay tuned.

Please contact building@squamish.ca for more information.

December 15, 2023