By Sebastian Kanally, Times Chronicle
Oliver is not ready to require zero carbon builds, yet.
A local non-profit wants Oliver to commit to holding builders to a higher standard to eventually have zero carbon buildings by 2030, but Oliver’s council deferred the decision to a later date.
Sue Kirschmann, with First Things First Okanagan, presented to the town on how much fossil fuel use comes from buildings, and a new provincial Zero Carbon Step Code.
This new Zero Carbon Step Code is all about cutting emissions from new builds by prioritizing other energy sources other than fossil fuels. This focuses on energy sources such as electric heat pumps, electric water heaters and induction stoves for example.
“By 2030, all new buildings will be zero carbon, and all new space and water heating equipment will meet the highest standards for efficiency,” the provincial CleanBC Roadmap to 2030 plan says.
Kirschmann explained that this deadline of 2030, for all new buildings to be zero carbon, prompted the province to develop this new Zero Carbon Step Code. She noted that 27 municipalities in the province have already committed to the plan, with more than half committing to the highest performance tier requiring all builds be zero carbon.
“Increasingly our health and economic prosperity is being threatened by unnatural disasters like wildfires, heat domes, droughts, and floods. Which scientists have linked to the burning of fossil fuels,” Kirschmann explained.
She then went on to say that 12 per cent of all emissions in the province are from burning fossil fuels in buildings.
She recommended that Oliver start with the “measure only” tier, so that everyone can get used to the system and see how it works. She noted that this is what Penticton and Vernon have committed to. Then after four to six months they should go to the highest levels of requiring all new builds to be zero carbon, or close to it.
The measure only step, requires all builders to report all emissions through an energy advisor, and report it to the building department of the town.
Kirschner commented that the provincial deadline is 2030, but many municipalities are getting ahead of that deadline and implementing these measures now. She was pleading with the town of Oliver to do so as well.
Town council was not ready to make any motions or commit to anything at the October 28 committee of the whole meeting.
They moved to defer the conversation to a later meeting so that they could have a more robust discussion about what it may mean for builders and the town.
Councillor David Mattes explained that he would like to discuss this with local builders and get their perspective on it before he votes for anything.
Mattes also wanted more information such as where does the information get collected and go, what are the provinces’ timelines, etc.
There was also mention of the affordable housing crisis, and how this could possibly make things more expensive and so more in-depth discussions will have to be had before any decisions are made.
