HRM urges province to adopt updated national building codes

Halifax Mayor Mike Savage wants to nail down when the Houston government will live up to its commitment to adopt new national building standards.

Savage sent a letter to Housing Minister John Lohr earlier this month emphasizing that adoption of the 2020 National Building Code of Canada and the 2020 National Energy Code of Canada for Buildings is crucial to help the city and province meet net-zero carbon emissions targets by 2030.

"Delaying implementation of the codes poses significant obstacles to realizing both HRM's and the province's emissions reduction goals," the mayor said in an Aug. 2 letter to Lohr that was obtained by the CBC.

The province had promised to adopt the updated building codes as part of its climate change plan released in December 2022. But a year later, Lohr announced a delay in implementation of the new national standards, citing supply chain issues and labour shortages.

In Canada, provinces and territories regulate building construction, but can adopt and modify the national building codes that are developed as a model.

The new codes include changes to performance requirements for heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), and more comprehensive frameworks to achieve higher levels of energy efficiency in buildings.

Some of the new standards could be attained with the installation of solar panels, proper insulation and electric heating, for instance.

While the city is making energy-efficiency improvements to buildings and properties it owns, and developing new energy-efficient buildings, it can only encourage private developers to adopt a more sustainable approach, says Kevin Boutilier, the city's clean energy manager.

"The building code is mandated by the province and if we were to try and mandate that, we would be inconsistent with the province and there would be no teeth to it," Boutilier told CBC in an interview.

But he said the time has come for more energy-efficient construction.

"We're essentially locking ourselves into many years of high-emitting buildings if we don't tackle the problem now," Boutilier said. 

The province's climate change plan consists of five tiers for improving energy efficiency, with the goal of eventually achieving net-zero carbon emissions targets. Nova Scotia promised to reach the third tier, marking a 50 per cent improvement in energy efficiency, by 2028.

Two years after committing to adopt the updated national building codes, the province has yet to settle on a timeline. 

"Adoption will involve comprehensive education and training on the new requirements with key stakeholder groups," the Housing Department said in a written statement to CBC.