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BC Energy Step Code will prove costly as it ascends to new homes that, ideally, generate more energy than they use, builders warn

In December 2017 the B.C. government introduced the ambitious BC Energy Step Code, a building code with five steps towards creating ‘net-zero’ energy-use homes by 2032.

It is the toughest code in Canada and a testing ground for the new national building code, now in the works, that will also put an emphasis on climate change. An objective of the code is to also reduce greenhouse gas emissions, since buildings account for about 30 per cent of such emissions, according to government reports.

It will also add tens of thousands of dollars to new homes built to the highest level of the new code, which comes into effect this summer in all North Shore municipalities.

The Step Code is not yet mandatory and gives B.C. municipalities the option to have residential construction meet one or more steps of the Step Code as an upgrade to the existing code. (The City of Vancouver has its own building code and is moving towards having all new homes becoming net zero by 2030).

Step 1 is a minor improvement over the existing code, while the second step is a 10 per cent improvement in efficiency. Step 3, which nine Metro Vancouver municipalities have already moved to, along with some of the larger centres in the Greater Victoria region, specifies a 20 per cent improvement. Step 4 is a 40 per cent upgrade from current standards.

Step 5 requires builders to construct homes that be net-zero, meaning the home produces more energy than it uses.

“It is a function of the efficiency of the HVAC [heating, ventilation and air conditioning] equipment, the tightness of the envelope, the degree of insulation, all these different things,” explains Ron Rapp, CEO of the Homebuilders Association of Vancouver (HAVAN).

A certified energy adviser must sign off on plans that meet performance models; then the final structure is checked with a blower door test, which uses a specialized fan to measure how tightly a building is sealed against air leakage.

A typical older house, due to natural leakage, may have 10 to 20 air changes per day. A Step 5 level house would have less than one air change daily.

The City of West Vancouver, the District of North Vancouver and the City of North Vancouver will all require Step 5 – which has the highest air tightness – as of July 1, 2021, the first municipalities in Canada to do so.

Home builders are now finding just how steeply expensive stepping up can become.

A 2019 HAVAN modelling study of a standard new detached house estimated that the cost to implement Step 1 would be $5,600 above the current building code. To meet Step 3 would add $15,300 and that cost would rise to more than $24,000 at the Step 4 level.

At Step 5, primarily because of the much higher levels of insulation, advanced mechanical systems and ultra-high-performance windows, the cost soars to $48,220 for a typical house.

“It would be much more than that on a large custom-built house: at least $70,000 to $110,000,” said Casey Edge, executive director of the Victoria Residential Builders Association and a consistent critic of the Step Code.

Edge noted the costs are layered onto new homes, while the much larger pool of existing homes, many built decades ago, continue to emit most of the emissions.

Larry Clay, founder and president of Clay Construction Inc. in Langley and incoming national president of the Canadian Home Builders’ Association, sits on the industry’s National Net Zero Committee, which works with the federal government on building code standards.

His company builds eight to 10 houses per year valued at up to $3 million, all of them to Step 3 and up to net-zero standards.

Clay said it was fairly easy for B.C. builders to achieve Step 2 and even Step 3, but the challenges increase at higher levels, and it is not only about cost.

He cites the example of a large custom house he is building in Langley under a Step 3 building code. The client had considered going to Step 5 – net zero – until energy modelling showed the design changes that would be needed. These included much thicker walls, much smaller windows and changes to roof overhangs.

The client said “no way” and kept with the original design.

“At what point,” Clay asks, “does a homeowner have the right to keep the design they want?”

He said window size and orientation could become a big issue under Step 4 or 5. For example, he notes, in Burnaby and Vancouver many homeowners may want a big-window north view of the Inlet and the mountains, but the Step Code would require small or no north-facing windows, without substantial costs added.

Clay said adding $25,000 to $50,000 onto the price of a new house may fly in Canada’s most expensive markets of Vancouver, Victoria or Toronto, but not in most of B.C. or Canada.

Builders in many smaller centres try to deliver new houses that cost around $300,000, he notes.

“Adding $24,000 to $50,000 to the cost would kill their business,” Clay said.

Clay – who is also the immediate past-president of HAVAN – and Edge both say the fact that different municipalities have conflicting Step Code requirements adds to the cost and confusion for builders and consumers.

“Municipalities are circumventing the purpose of the Step Code, which was to slowly improve the code to let builders and suppliers become familiar with it,” Clay said.

Clay, who becomes president of the Canadian Home Builders’ Association this May, notes that Canada’s new national building code, expected to be introduced in 2025, will also require much higher levels of energy efficiency and other measures to combat climate change.

Clay said home builders are as concerned about the environment as anyone and will meet any standards demanded, but that government incentives, perhaps mortgage industry price breaks, may be needed.

“We will get there [to net zero]. We have to, but we need help,” Clay said. “Home builders can’t do it alone.”

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Smile! You’re being secretly recorded.

Oh, the joys of privacy law! With more twists and turns than an Agatha Christie novel, it truly is the gift that keeps on giving… if you’re a privacy lawyer. For normal people, maybe not so much.

Perhaps it’s because of the warmer weather that’s just around the corner (don’t burst my bubble), but a privacy topic I’ve been frequently asked recently is whether there are any privacy issues with REALTORS®, or their clients, secretly recording potential purchasers visiting a property for sale. The rationale for doing so being that a recording can help protect the seller’s property.

This question can be approached from a legal point of view and from a philosophical point of view.

Law and philosophy in one blog post, you say? Tell me more!

Well, the legal point of view is that, yes, secretly recording potential buyers visiting a property without the buyers’ consent constitutes the unauthorized collection of the buyers’ personal information and raises the risk a privacy complaint could be made against the seller and/or the listing agent under the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) or provincial privacy legislation.

Further, if the recording captures a private communication (for example, between a buyer and his/her agent) it could constitute a criminal offence under section 184 of the Criminal Code(interception of communications).

If sellers and/or their listing agents wish to make a recording (regardless of whether it’s an audio or video recording) of buyers, they should get the buyers’ consent. The most effective way to do this to is to get the consent in writing (for example, via an email acknowledgment). An alternative, albeit riskier, method is to post a prominent notice on the property telling buyers they are being recorded prior to them entering the premises. Buyers who choose to enter the property after reading the notice implicitly provide their consent to be recorded.

Still not convinced? Let’s try the philosophical approach by conducting a thought experiment.

Whenever I consider whether it’s appropriate to collect someone else’s personal information, instead of just focusing on what I want to do, I find it helpful to put myself in the shoes of the person whose personal information I am collecting (in this case, via a recording).

Would I object if I was recorded without my knowledge? What if my conversation with my spouse or agent was recorded? What if what I say is used against me in my negotiations with the seller?

Hmmmm… you can see how something that may seem relatively innocuous from one perspective (a homeowner trying to take safety precautions, for example) can start to look mighty shifty from another perspective.

And that brings us back to the legal answer. It may prompt an awkward conversation, but in this case, it goes a long way.

The article above is for information purposes and is not legal advice or a substitute for legal counsel.

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Tackling a home decorating project in 2021? These are the hottest paint colors this year.

Celebrate the spring of 2021 by giving your home interior a refreshing colour update. Nothing says new year, new you like a splash of colour on an accent wall. Or maybe you’re looking at warm, earthy neutrals throughout to bring grounding to your life and space. Whatever your reasons, whatever the room to redecorate, this year’s colour trends are ready to help you say goodbye to 2020 and embrace a hopeful and happy year ahead.

Take a look at this list of the hottest home paint colours of 2021 according to trusted home-style guides like Better Homes & Gardens and Good Housekeeping and the official Colours of the Year by paint colour kings like Behr and Benjamin Moore:

Walls
It’s unanimous–2021 is about warmer whites and grounding, earth-tone neutrals contrasted with bold, dare we say audacious, hues. Which do you feel best represents and inspires you in your space? We’ve highlighted this year’s colours of the year by category below, neutral and vibrant.

If you’re looking for a calm, inviting base to use absolutely anywhere, check out these trending neutrals:

Ultimate Gray
Named one of the two colours of the year, Pantone calls Ultimate Gray a “dependable” colour. And certainly, this versatile colour works in any home setting, especially in rooms where you want to evoke a sense of strength and solidity. (Pantone’s second colour of 2021 was “Illuminating,” a warm, happy yellow that pairs nicely with Ultimate.)

Urbane Bronze
Sherwin-Williams chose this nature-inspired colour as their 2021 colour of the year. Its deep bronze warmth creates a soothing, earthy backdrop designed to bring you back to nature and highlight other organic elements in your interior design.

If big colour is what you’re after, check out these vibrant hues:

Aegean Teal
This blue-green paint, named colour of the year by Benjamin Moore, is calm but bold. Both its name and its hue bring to mind the waters and the spirit of the Mediterranean.

Passionate
As part of HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams’s “Delightfully Daring” colour collection, Passionate plays its part in bringing boldness to your space. This rich, warm red is perfect for those spaces where you want to bring your passion.

Behr’s Color Trend Palette
This is a selection of 21 colours, including earthy and comforting browns and yellows accented with adventurous colours like “Euphoric Magenta” and “Saffron Strands.” Keywords to convey the spirit of this collection include “warm,” “restorative,” and “evocative.” So whatever balance you want your 2021 to strike, they’ve got a colour to help you achieve it.

Accent Walls & Accessories (furniture and more)
As you know, paint isn’t only for walls. Refinishing a dresser or table with a bright coat of paint can create an inspiring statement piece and quickly rejuvenate a stale or tired atmosphere. Try these trending colours to bring some spice and daring to your space.

Satin Paprika
This red by Rust-Oleum, the spray paint giant, is another warm earth tone, but with just the right depth to add modern zest to your home accessories.

Aqua Fiesta by Glidden and PPG’s Misty Aqua
These aquas are joining 2021’s sea-inspired blue-greens. Bring some of your beach-vacation anticipation to your home with these bright, happy aquas that simultaneously evoke energy and calm.

This year’s trending paint colours seem to reflect a collective desire for grounding, reconnecting, and asserting our strengths. They add warmth and stability with inviting neutrals, and they inspire and impassion with vibrant, dramatic hues.

Whatever your project, a couple of cans of this year’s trending colours will reinvigorate your home’s ambiance and give you the boost you want when walking into your favourite rooms!

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Professional home stager and real estate agent Kim Gaston gets candid about Pantone’s 2021 Colors of the Year, Illuminating and Ultimate Gray.

Each year, color matching company Pantone announces a color, or colors, that set the tone for current events, social happenings and design trends for the year ahead.

For 2021, Pantone chose the colors Illuminating, a shade of bright yellow, and Ultimate Gray, a shade of medium gray. The company describes this pairing as “a message of happiness supported by fortitude” and it says the combination represents hope in light of trying times.

The sentiment surely hits home for everyone in 2021. But for home décor? We consulted an expert for guidance on how to incorporate these two colors into homes this spring.

For 12 years, Kim Gaston has owned Front Porch Interiors, a home staging company in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Soon after starting her business, she earned her real estate license and became an agent with RE/MAX Advantage. The expertise combo equips her to help clients navigate every aspect of the home-selling process – and style their spaces to attract top dollar.

With an eye for design and a passion for helping others, Gaston gets candid about Pantone’s color choices.

Incorporating pops of yellow
As springtime rolls around, yellow becomes a popular accent color in the world of home décor.

According to Gaston, brighter colors – like yellow – are often utilized in muted shades for interior spaces.

“Illuminating is a clear color instead of a muted shade. Clear means that there’s not much gray in it,” Gaston says.

She expresses her hesitations about Illuminating, explaining that people are much more likely to opt for either softer or warmer shades of yellow inside their homes. Her best advice for those who do want to incorporate such a bright shade of yellow is what she calls the “60-30-10 rule.”

Gaston explains that, in a bedroom, 60% of the color scheme could be a neutral wall color and 30% could be a complementary color, like gray, in the bedding or a rug on the floor. The 10% remaining is a good place for brighter colors like yellows, through accent pillows, a throw blanket or yellow tulips in a vase on the nightstand.

“It’s an easy way to think about accent colors when you’re staging or selling a home,” she says. “You don’t want to overwhelm potential buyers with 60% [Illuminating] in a room.”

For a shade as bright as Illuminating, Gaston says she would opt against the shade altogether and instead pick one that mimics nature.

“Think about the yellows found in nature, in flowers like yellow tulips or forsythias. There are ways of using yellow, like a decorative bowl of lemons, that offer a more natural pop of color,” she says.

Alternatively, a “mid-century modern” aesthetic is a design trend that’s found renewed popularity the past few years. The style favors jewel tones, as well as a mustard color – a darker and warmer shade with a vintage feel – which has become a popular way to include yellow inside the home year-round.

Ultimately, one should decorate their living space in a way they love, whether that includes bright colors or neutrals. But Gaston is particularly focused on how colors used in staging can affect a home’s popularity while it’s on the market.

“I’m always considering how photography is going to look online and I try to keep the eye going around the room in a photo,” Gaston says. “It’s all about keeping the buyer engaged in the photos and driving the desire to customize the home themselves.”

Choosing the right gray
A more modern choice, gray has become a staple color in interior design. According to Gaston, gray can be a great neutral color for places like walls without being just another beige.

However, all grays are not created equal. Ultimate Gray by Pantone is an industrial shade with cooler notes. But when it comes to larger spaces like walls, grays in warmer shades are usually favorited over their cooler counterparts.

“[Oftentimes people go for grays that] have a warmer yellow or orange undertone to them so they don’t feel so cool and sterile. Especially in real estate, you really want the home to be warm and welcoming – and grays can be hard to pull off. If they have too much of a blue or green undertone, you might want to stay away from them,” Gaston says.

At the moment, home sellers and owners alike are veering toward warmer grays, she reports. Gaston describes fluctuating consumer preferences as a pendulum that is constantly swinging.

“The pendulum has moved back into the warmer, earthier tones, so right now we’re seeing a lot of ‘greiges’ – that’s gray with a warm beige undertone to it,” she says.

If Ultimate Gray is too cool of a shade for you, Gaston suggests Agreeable Gray or Amazing Gray, both by Sherwin Williams. Their yellow and orange undertones can create a calm, more inviting atmosphere – especially in the eyes of interested buyers when your home is for sale.