"Built to code" in BC no longer means what it did three years ago. For a new North Shore home or multiplex, it now means two sets of numbers: energy and carbon.
The Province sets the floor:
- Energy Step Code Step 3 for new Part 9 homes, which covers houses and small multiplexes, since May 1, 2023
- Zero Carbon Step Code EL-1 as the minimum since March 10, 2025
Local governments can go higher, and on the North Shore they did. The City and District of North Vancouver adopted Step 4 with Zero Carbon EL-3, or an equivalent pathway, in November 2023.
How compliance is proven, in four checks:
- An energy advisor models the design
- Airtightness is tested before drywall; the City of North Vancouver makes this mandatory
- The advisor verifies the finished home with a blower door test
- The compliance report supports the permit and final occupancy
The practical point for owners and investors: the Step is a design input, not a permit-stage surprise. It shapes the envelope, the mechanical system and the cost. Find out which Step applies before the design is drawn.
Send the address and we’ll run a free desktop check of what it appears to allow, within two business days.
Request a lot check →BC Building Code revisions page (gov.bc.ca); BC Energy Step Code, energy advisors page; City of North Vancouver, "Updated Energy Efficiency Requirements for New Homes" (Nov 1, 2023); District of North Vancouver, Zero Carbon Step Code information guide; Better Homes BC, City of North Vancouver PATH program. Summary only; confirm the current bylaw for your site. Not legal advice.
General information, checked Nov 1, 2026. Rules change and differ by municipality; confirm for your lot before relying on it. Not legal, tax or financial advice.