Briefing note: Future-proofing BC buildings toward net-zero

This briefing note from the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment argues for the removal of natural gas from British Columbia's buildings to meet climate targets and protect public health. It advocates for updating the Building Code and BC Energy Step Code to prohibit new gas connections and establish deadlines for existing buildings to transition to clean energy.

• Buildings in British Columbia are a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for 12% of the province's total emissions and more than 50% of emissions in individual cities. The emissions from natural-gas homes in the province are equivalent to those of more than 870,000 vehicles.
• The extraction of natural gas via hydraulic fracturing in the Peace region of northeast BC causes environmental pollution of air, land, and water, and consumes large amounts of freshwater. Local physicians have linked this processC activity to increased rates of cancer, lung disease, and negative pregnancy outcomes.
• Using gas for cooking pollutes indoor air with nitrogen dioxide (NO2), which is associated with higher rates of childhood asthma. Health Canada stated in 2015 that most existing Canadian gas ranges fail to meet long-term NO2 exposure standards.
• Transitioning from natural gas to electric heating currently costs over $20,000, making it more cost-effective to install clean-energy technologies in new buildings today at no additional cost to the consumer.
• The document proposes two primary changes to the Building Code and BC Energy Step Code: prohibiting new buildings from connecting to gas lines starting in 2022 (with potential extensions for northern buildings) and setting specific dates for existing buildings to switch to clean energy.

APA

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (n.d.). Briefing note: Future-proofing BC buildings toward net-zero. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Future-proofing-BC-buildings-towards-net-zero-CAPE-2020-06.pdf#new_tab

Chicago

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. Briefing note: Future-proofing BC buildings toward net-zero. n.d. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Future-proofing-BC-buildings-towards-net-zero-CAPE-2020-06.pdf#new_tab.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment |title=Briefing note: Future-proofing BC buildings toward net-zero |url=https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Future-proofing-BC-buildings-towards-net-zero-CAPE-2020-06.pdf#new_tab |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{canadianassociationofphysiciansfortheenvironmentndbriefing, author = {{Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}}, title = {{Briefing note: Future-proofing BC buildings toward net-zero}}, institution = {Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}, url = {https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Future-proofing-BC-buildings-towards-net-zero-CAPE-2020-06.pdf#new_tab}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }