Recent changes to British Columbia’s Step Code online information have left many builders, tradespeople, and homeowners searching for answers. If you returned to the BC Energy Step Code website recently, you will have discovered that the site is no longer online. Instead, a redirect takes you to the BC Government’s BC Energy and Zero Carbon Step Codes page. This shift reflects a major consolidation, with the BC Energy Step Code and Zero Carbon Step Code integrated into the 2024 BC Building Code and Province of British Columbia website.
Major recent updates have been made to the following key pages on the British Columbia website:
- BC Building Code 2024 page – March 10, 2025
- BC Energy and Zero Carbon Step Codes page – June 9, 2025
- BC Energy Step Code page – June 9, 2025
- Zero Carbon Step Code page – June 9, 2025
- Part 9 buildings compliance checklist – July 3, 2025
The stated aim of these changes to the information provided online is to standardize energy efficiency and carbon reduction requirements province-wide, with a continued push toward net-zero emissions in all new buildings by 2030.
Key takeaways are:
- the BC Energy Step Code and Zero Carbon Step Code have not been phased out,
- the BC Energy Step Code website has served its purpose for introducing the step code principles, and
- the Step Code online information has been streamlined over the past few months.
In this article, we want to touch briefly on:
- what the two step codes are,
- why the province’s Step Code information was streamlined,
- how the new regulations impact West Vancouver, Squamish, and Whistler,
- what builders and homeowners need to know about compliance, and
- where to find the latest official resources.
What are the step codes?
British Columbia’s two step codes work together to improve the energy performance and environmental impact of new homes. While energy efficiency measures set forth under the BC Energy Step Code reduce overall energy consumption, the Zero Carbon Step Code ensures this energy is supplied by systems with very low or zero operational carbon output.
The BC Energy Step Code: The BC Energy Step Code was initially created in 2017 to assist local governments with new energy-efficient buildings, offer builders more consistent requirements across neighbouring local governments, and help the province reduce energy use and greenhouse-gas emissions from buildings. The technical requirements of the BC Energy Step Code were co-developed with the construction industry, local governments, utility organizations, non-profit organizations and technical input from Natural Resources Canada.
The BC Energy Step Code is a tiered system Steps 1 through 5 that requires builders to meet increasingly more energy-efficient performance levels.
The Zero Carbon Step Code: The Zero Carbon Step Code was introduced into the BC Building Code in May 2023, with a focus on eliminating fossil fuel use in new buildings by requiring electric heating, heat pumps, and renewable energy integration. It sets a phased pathway to reduce and eventually eliminate operational greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from all new buildings by 2030.
The ZCSC establishes measurable steps “Emissions Levels” or “ELs” that set limits on the operational carbon emissions of new buildings, with four performance levels: EL-1 through EL-4.
Why the Step Code information was streamlined
New requirements in the 2024 BC Building code took effect on March 10, 2025. As mandated by the province, beginning March 10, 2025, all building permit applications must fully comply with the 2024 BC Building Code, including new seismic design standards. New buildings must adhere to zero carbon standards by meeting specific greenhouse gas emission level 1, and systems must be installed to track and report these emissions.
2024 BC Building Code changes of note are:
- Updates to Part 9 (housing and small buildings), Section 9.36. covering energy efficiency
- All new dwellings must be designed so that at least one living space does not exceed 26°C in summer
- Part 9, Section 9.23 (wood frame construction), particularly Subsection 9.23.13, covering bracing to resist lateral loads due to wind and earthquake, with increased seismic load criteria (ie, up to 25% more in Vancouver, 45% in Victoria)
- Seismic hazard data now derived from the 2020 NBC Seismic Hazard Tool; local seismicity updates reflect recent knowledge of BC fault lines and increased earthquake risk
- For new Part 9 buildings, Step 3 is now the minimum performance standard (about 20% higher than the previous code baseline)
- Energy efficiency requirements for Part 9 buildings are performance-based, with required modelling, air-tightness, and target metrics
- Strengthened provisions for seismic design became mandatory on March 10, 2025
- From March 10, 2025, all new buildings must meet at least Emissions Level 1 (EL-1): operational GHG emissions must be measured and disclosed for the occupancy permit, per Part 10 and the new Zero Carbon Step Code
Has the step code/building code consolidation impacted West Vancouver, Squamish, and Whistler?
District of West Vancouver: West Vancouver has adopted a new Building Bylaw No. 5340, effective June 23, 2025, which aligns local regulations with the 2024 BC Building Code. Part 26: Energy Conservation and Greenhouse Gas
Emission Reduction of this bylaw specifically addresses energy conservation and greenhouse gas emission reduction, reflecting the latest provincial standards.
The District of West Vancouver was issued ministerial directives by B.C.’s Ministry of Housing (https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2023ENV0030-000653) to amend its bylaws, including the Official Community Plan, by December 31, 2025, but that was prior to the consolidation of the step code information available online.
At present, for Part 9 residential (single family, townhouse and other Part 9 residential buildings), the two minimum requirement pathways outlined November 1, 2023 are still in effect:
- Pathway 1: Step 4 + ZCSC Level EL-3
- Pathway 2: Step 5
District of Squamish: An update to Section 17 of the Building Bylaw, to include Zero Carbon Step Code (ZCSC) standards and relax Energy Step Code requirements across the District was adopted just over a year ago, on July 2, 2024. Those bylaw updates align with the District’s Strategic Plan and Big Move 5 of the Community Climate Action Plan.
Changes in the bylaw update included:
- Building Permit applications are required to include a Pre-Construction Report from a Certified Energy Advisor.
- All building types across the District, including Part 9 residential buildings, are required to meet Level 4 of the Zero Carbon Step Code.
Like all BC municipalities, Squamish is implementing the latest BC Building Code requirements including those on adaptable dwellings, seismic design (Appendix C), and the first emissions level (EL-1) of the Zero Carbon Step Code, effective March 10, 2025.
There do not appear to be any updates to the District of Squamish website or bylaws so far in 2025.
Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW): In 2024, Whistler increased the requirements of the BC Energy Step Code and adopted the Zero Carbon Step Code, under Big Move 4, to improve the energy efficiency and limit emissions from new buildings.
The Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) is also currently undergoing a building bylaw overhaul to align with the updated BC Building Code and provincial templates. It is modernizing its building and plumbing bylaw, using the Municipal Insurance Association of British Columbia (MIABC) core model bylaw as a template. This overhaul aims to improve clarity, consistency, and enforcement related to building permits. Implementation of the new bylaw is scheduled sometime this summer. The process includes new structures for permit fees, clarified building permit conditions, and strong alignment with the Zero Carbon Step Code and new seismic requirements.
What builders and homeowners need to know about compliance
What we’re beginning to see across these local governments is that the change in web content is focusing on official bylaws, technical bulletins, or links to the central BC Building Code site, which reflects a shift from step-code advocacy and education to direct compliance and enforcement. In other words, the District and Municipal web pages now serve as gateways to official documents and regulatory compliance resources. This echoes the provincial trend of consolidation, rather than hosting extensive standalone guides or promotional materials as it did in the past.
Where to find the latest official resources
British Columbia Building Code 2024
BC Energy Step Code and Zero Carbon Step Code | BC Climate Action Toolkit
BC Energy and Zero Carbon Step Codes | Province of British Columbia
- BC Energy Step Code | Province of British Columbia
- Zero Carbon Step Code | Province of British Columbia
- Part 9 Buildings Compliance Checklist | Province of British Columbia
- BC Energy Step Code and Zero Carbon Step Code | Province of British Columbia
- Energy Step Code / Zero Carbon Step Code Modelling Guidelines and Instruction Manual
(Accompanies 2018 BC Building Code Revision 5) - Adaptable-dwelling, seismic provisions take effect March 10 | Province of British Columbia
What is the BC Energy Step Code | cleanBC Better Homes
BC Energy Step Code Design Guide | BC Housing 2019
Affordable Net Zero Construction in BC: Making Sustainability Accessible in 2025
Back to you…
Are updates like this of value to you? If so, please leave a comment below. If we find there’s enough interest in this type of content, we can track ongoing step code, BC Building Code and district/municipal website changes, appending updates to this post as more information becomes available.
