Integral Group and British Columbia Launch Better Buildings BC Program

In partnership with the Province of British Columbia, Integral Group Vancouver’s Research and Planning Associate Lisa Westerhoff has launched Better Buildings BC: The Net-Zero Energy-Ready Challenge.

Better Buildings BC is an incentive program and juried competition that provides incentives and support to high-rise residential, office, retail, commercial, institutional, and other large complex building projects designed to meet a net-zero energy-ready level of performance. Buildings that achieve the top step of the BC Energy Step Code, the highest step of the City of Vancouver’s Zero Emissions Building Plan, and Passive House certification are all eligible to apply.

The program offers two separate incentives. Design Incentives of up to $40,000 are available to assist design teams in offsetting any costs that may be incurred by any additional design necessary to target net-zero energy-ready. Participants who receive a Design Incentive will be invited to submit a full Program Application and will be eligible to receive a Net-Zero Energy-Ready Incentive of up to $350,000.

Applications will be evaluated by a Technical Review Panel and a final Selection Committee in the areas of energy and emissions performance, cost competitiveness, replicability, social and environmental performance, and overall design. Successful Applicants will be required to share building energy performance data for use in case studies as a way of boosting overall industry capacity.

Integral Group is administering the Better Buildings BC program, while the BC Ministry of Mines, Energy and Petroleum Resources is providing funding and program oversight.

Those who wish to submit an Expression of Interest must do so by November 30, 2018. For full program details, including the Program Manual, visit EfficiencyBC.