Better Building Code

With the heating season upon us, NAIMA Canada, the association of fibre insulation manufacturers, would like to remind homeowners that increasing the amount of insulation in their homes remains one of the best things they can do for the environment and their wallets.By adding insulation, you lower the amount of energy needed to heat your home, resulting in fewer associated greenhouse gas emissions and a lower monthly heating bill. Savings will vary.Inadequate insulation is one of the main reasons why the average Canadian home can lose up to 50 percent of its energy. Adding insulation will provide a lifetime of comfort and energy savings.Steve Koch, executive director of NAIMA Canada, believes the provincial government’s efforts to save energy are a great start.“The recent changes to the Ontario Building Code are an excellent example of the government’s commitment to energy conservation. Other examples are seen in its agreements with the Conservation Bureau, the City of Toronto and the Building Owners and Managers Association of Greater Toronto (BOMA).”The Conservation Bureau’s Every Kilowatt Counts program helps homeowners conserve energy by offering coupons for a host of energy-saving devices, such as programmable thermostats, dimmer switches and compact fluorescent light bulbs. Visit www.conservationbureau.on.ca for information.While pleased with the current level of provincial support for energy conservation, Koch added, “The government must adopt additional measures like British Columbia, which provides a tax rebate for energy-saving building products, such as weather stripping, insulation, heat pumps and the like. This kind of incentive will help stimulate even greater conservation in Ontario.”

Before the most recent changes to the Ontario Building Code (OBC), the code was last changed in 1997 by the Harris government. The changes were made under the direction of then MMAH Minister Al Leach, removed requirements which resulted in both lower insulation levels and the removal of the requirement to install full height basement insulation. This decision was sold as saving the consumer $1500 on the purchase of a new home … we are unsure if anyone received this benefit.

Here’s a selection of news coverage from 2006:

• Energy Efficiency and the Ontario Building Code
• Building Code Red
• Best opportunity in a decade to make home building part of Ontario’s “Culture of Conservation” says Canadian Energy Efficiency Alliance (CEEA)
• Region gets to work on energy conservation
• All new buildings should meet code
• East Gwillimbury First in Canada to Adopt ENERGY STAR Standards for New Housing
• Energy-saving Community Unveiled in Ontario
• Low-rise builders reaching for Energy Star
• Buying homes of tomorrow now saves money, energy
• New technology for more energy-efficient homes
• Buying Homes Of Tomorrow Now Saves Money, Energy
• McGuinty Government Delivers A Balanced Plan For Ontario’s Electricity Future
• Letter From the Ontario Chamber of Commerce to John Gerretsen
• Ontario households and businesses to save energy and money
• Consumers Council believes new building code regulations are good for consumers over the long term
• New Ontario Building Code on the right track - Implementing changes sooner is the challenge
• New Energy Efficiency Standards will Challenge Industry

Many of the builders who are again opposing reasonable energy efficiency
standards already build to Energuide standards and offer fully finished
basements with “full height” basement insulation. So why not make it a
level playing field, and let all Ontarians share in the benefits of
energy conservation?

If this opportunity for energy efficiency advancement is not realized
now, when will we see these important changes? It could be another 10
years from now. WE CAN NOT MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY.