Green Buildings and Step Code

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 5.

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 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.

The Green Building Rebate Program is a voluntary measure to encourage builders, developers and homeowners to construct or renovate residential dwellings within the Township of Langley that are energy efficient in their ongoing operation.

The program recognizes both new residential construction and home renovations that reach energy performance levels beyond what is required by the BC Building Code. While the Lower Steps of the BC Energy Step Code are now required for all new homes, incentives are available for Part 9 homes that are built to Step 5 of the Energy Step Code. Homes that achieve program eligibility and performance requirements are recognized through a partial rebate of building permit fees.

For eligible participants, the rebate amount corresponds to the level of efficiency achieved. If you build or renovate more efficiently, you are eligible to receive a larger rebate.

Energy-efficient homes are healthier and more comfortable for homebuyers. They save in year to year operating costs and have more value at resale. More homebuyers are looking for these benefits in their own homes and for proof of these benefits through an EnerGuide rating.

Building energy-efficient homes also reduces community energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions during the life cycle operation of residential buildings, which directly supports many of the Township’s sustainability and climate related policies, plans and commitments.

The program is open to builders, developers and homeowners who are constructing or renovating a new or existing home in the Township of Langley.

For new construction, eligible home types are single family dwellings, row house units, townhouse units and duplexes.

For renovations, the program is open to single family dwellings.

It's simple. When applying for a building permit or a renovation (addition or alteration) permit, you will receive a GBRP Referral Form. Forms are available from the Permit, Licence and Inspection Services counter located on the second floor of our Civic Facility. All new residential buildings are now required to comply with the BC Energy Step Code, and so incentives have been made available for working with an Energy Advisor both for energy modeling during plan review, as well as mid-construction blower door testing.

Within 90 days of final building inspection, submit the GBRP referral form, energy documents (including the EnerGuide and HOT2000 reports, and the BC Energy Compliance Report for new construction), and applicable energy advisor invoices to greenbuildings@tol.ca and receive your rebate by mail if requirements are met.

The EnerGuide rating system is the backbone of the Township’s Green Building Rebate Program; it is a Canadian rating system used to indicate a home’s energy performance.

In the past, an EnerGuide rating was measured on a scale from 0 to 100. The new EnerGuide rating gives you a consumption-based metric measured in gigajoules per year (GJ/year) that represents the total amount of energy your home uses per year. This rating allows you to see your score using units of energy similar to how you would see a consumption rating of kilowatt hours per year for home appliances or miles per gallon for vehicles.

Every EnerGuide rating starts with an Energy Advisor (EA). EAs are home energy evaluation professionals who work under service organizations that are licensed by Natural Resources Canada. These professionals bring industry expertise right to your door and provide you with a comprehensive home ERS evaluation service. Through an in depth review of your existing or planned home, EAs provide you with an EnerGuide rating and energy efficiency upgrade options. When construction or renovations are complete, your EA returns to conduct another ERS evaluation to provide you with a final EnerGuide rating and an evaluation report.

For an existing home, an EA will evaluate your home’s energy performance from basement to attic and help you make informed decisions to increase the energy efficiency and comfort of your home. If you’re building a new home, an EA can help you identify cost-effective, energy-efficient upgrades in the design and construction phase.

To measure the performance for the construction of new homes, the Township uses a benchmark called the ERS reference house which is based on energy requirements specified in the National Building Code of Canada. The reference house is uniquely created for every home that receives an ERS evaluation and represents the rating your home would achieve if it were built to meet typical new home energy performance construction requirements.

Post-construction, if you achieve an EnerGuide rating lower than the ERS reference house, the energy performance of your home is generally better than its expected performance under energy provisions in the building code and the home may be eligible to receive a financial rebate.

For existing homes that are undergoing renovations, the Township compares the EnerGuide rating before and after renovation to see how the home’s energy efficiency has changed. If your EnerGuide rating is lower after performing an addition or alteration, your home rating has improved and may be eligible to receive a financial rebate.

To participate under the EnerGuide framework of the Green Building Rebate Program, two stages of ERS home evaluation are required: the plan evaluation and final ERS evaluation for new construction, and the pre-retrofit and post-retrofit evaluation for renovations. The cost of these EnerGuide evaluation services vary by service organization. Contact your service organization to find out exact pricing.

To find out what incentives are available for energy evaluations see the Energy Evaluation Rebate brochure and visit betterhomesbc.ca (CleanBC Better Homes is a provincial program which has a separate application process than the GBRP).

The Green Building Rebate Program is available for projects that voluntarily build to Step 5 of the Energy Step Code.

For more detailed steps and to find out what incentives are available for new construction see the Single family dwelling program brochure and/or the Multi-family dwellings program brochure.

To receive a financial rebate in the renovations program, your home's final EnerGuide rating (after renovations are complete) needs to be lower than the initial EnerGuide rating (before renovations begin) as modelled by your Energy Advisor.

For more detailed steps and to find out what incentives are available for renovations, please see the Renovations program brochure.

The Township’s GBRP is structured so its technical evaluation criteria aligns with other financial rebates available throughout the construction industry. Many other programs, such as those offered by the province (CleanBC Better Homes), BC Hydro, and FortisBC, also rely on the EnerGuide Rating System to measure performance and determine rebate eligibility.

The Township is participating in CleanBC Better Homes’ home renovation and heating upgrade rebate programs by contributing up to $2,000 in top-ups on multiple different upgrades. Visit betterhomesbc.ca for more information.