Green Buildings and Step Code

“A building that, in its design, construction and/or operation, reduces or eliminates negative impacts, and can create positive impacts, on our climate and natural environment. Green Buildings preserve precious natural resources and improve our quality of life” – World Green Building Council

In addition to being good for the environment, green buildings are healthier and more comfortable buildings to live and work in. They cost less to operate and reduce our community’s energy usage and greenhouse gas emissions. Building green buildings directly supports many of the Township’s sustainability and climate-related policies, plans, and commitments.

Priority Areas

The above graphic shows the percentage of carbon emissions from each sector in the Township of Langley. Buildings account for 30% of our carbon emissions each year.

Why is it so important that the Township transitions our buildings to becoming green buildings?

Because each year, the energy used by buildings in the Township of Langley contributes approximately 30% to our total GHG emissions. In order to decrease these emissions, our buildings must be energy-efficient and use cleaner energy sources (such as electricity).

Emissions

Click on one of the buttons to see Green Buildings-related information for homeowners or builders:

I am a homeowner I am a builder/building a house

Click/tap here to learn how we are making our buildings greener

For new residential construction, the Township has adopted the BC Energy Step Code: a provincial standard that requires a level of energy efficiency that goes above and beyond the requirements of the BC Building Code. The below graphic shows each ‘step’ and the final step of ‘Net Zero Energy Ready’ which will be required by the province in 2032 for all new construction. The Green Building Rebate Program incentivizes builders to construct homes that meet Step 4 or 5.

Pathway — The BC Energy Step Code provincial timeline is shown in the above graphic. Other details such as corresponding energy efficiency per step and the Township’s specific adoption timeline are also displayed.

To further spur green new construction, the Township is one of few municipalities in BC where new buildings must meet additional green building requirements in certain neighbourhoods, currently consisting of Latimer, Carvolth, Williams, Smith, Brookswood-Fernridge. This is called a GHG Development Permit Area and includes requirements such as:

Orienting buildings to optimize passive solar energy potential
Designing buildings to incorporate high performance doors, windows, and skylights
Providing operable windows to increase natural ventilation

To incentivize green renovations and new residential construction, the Township offers multiple rebates through both our own Green Building Rebate Program and by topping up rebates offered through the provincial CleanBC, BetterHomesBC program. To learn more about these rebates visit the I am a homeowner page for renovation-focused rebates, and I am a builder/building a house page for new construction rebates.

To see Green Building leaders in the Township, visit Geosource – the Township’s own web map application.

This short video will show you how to navigate Geosource to find new homes built to the BC Energy Step Code.

Resources from past builders’ events and information on upcoming events are on our Resources and Education page.

Buying or selling your home? Learn about related Green Building resources on our Buy/Sell Green page.

To learn about green buildings leaders for large (greater than 50,000 sqft) buildings in the Township, please visit our Commercial Buildings page.

Further questions?

Check out our Green Building FAQs or email greenbuildings@tol.ca.