Learn about the innovative approaches being used to build better homes and the energy savings for home owners.
LEEP Video Project - Series Two
These videos showcase how the LEEP initiative is helping to drive innovation in the industry and accelerate the construction of affordable energy-efficient homes.
Learn more about the LEEP field-trial homes and you’ll be inspired to step up with the BC Energy Step Code. Natural Resources Canada brought LEEP to BC in partnership with BC Housing, BC Hydro, FortisBC, City of Vancouver and the City of New Westminster.
Video
LEEP Video – Integrated Design
Darren Witt, Owner, Bercum Builders, energy advisors, consultants, and others from across British Columbia discuss the importance of an integrated design process, collaboration and consulting industry professionals early in the planning process to build high performance homes.
LEEP Video – Fort St. James
Shay Bulmer and Beau Jackson owners of Northern Homecraft Ltd. discuss the importance of working with an energy advisor and using a good mechanical design to build high performance homes. The home featured in Fort St. James is a CHBA Qualified Net Zero Ready Home and has achieved BC Energy Step Code for Part 9 Step 4.
LEEP Video – Quesnel
Joe Hart, President, Icon Homes Ltd. shares his lessons learned on building an affordable high-performance home while incorporating the desired features to create maximum comfort. Joe’s bungalow is built to BC Energy Step Code for Part 9 Step 4 with an energy rating of 83 GJ/year.
LEEP Video – Penticton
Industry professionals share their insights on the importance of an integrated design process to create high-performance buildings. This daycare in Penticton, has achieved BC Energy Step Code Part 9 Step 5 and is Passive House certified. Hear from Nicholas Hill, President, Ritchie Contracting & Design Ltd, Chris Allen, Project Architect, Landform Architecture Ltd and Rob Pope, Senior Consultant, Ecolighten Energy Solutions.
LEEP Video – Regional Considerations in High Performance Homes
Energy advisors, builders, and other industry professionals share insights on how to address regional climate and market considerations. From air-tightness to insulation, hear about the benefits of working with energy advisors and other experts to build high performance homes, no matter where you live.
What is LEEP?
LEEP enables builders to reduce their time and risk by using innovations that can help them build higher performance homes better, faster and more affordably. Builder groups use LEEP to collaborate on opportunities and innovations for home building in their markets.
The Local Energy Efficiency Partnership (LEEP) process was first developed by the Office of Energy Research and Development at Natural Resources Canada (NRCan). This business-to-business initiative has since been adopted in several Canadian provinces, now including B.C.
BC Housing, BC Hydro, Fortis BC, the City of Vancouver, and the City of New Westminster worked together to get LEEP started in the province and local home builders associations also played a key role in delivering the initiative.
BC Energy Step Code
The Province has committed to taking incremental steps to increase energy-efficiency requirements in the BC Building Code to make buildings net-zero energy ready by 2032. The BC Energy Step Code – a part of the BC Building Code – supports that effort.
The BC Energy Step Code only applies to new construction of the following building types:
- Residential (Part 9) – Province-wide
- Multi-unit residential and commercial (business and personal services and mercantile) – only in climate zone 4 (i.e., Lower Mainland, southern Vancouver Island, southern Okanagan).
Building owners may voluntarily build to the requirements in the BC Energy Step Code. Incentives are available for achieving higher standards.
