Zero emissions buildings

The plan is a flexible, phased approach to combat and reduce carbon pollution in Vancouver:

• The plan establishes specific targets and actions to achieve zero emissions in all new buildings by 2030
• The plan does not focus on retro-fitting buildings
• Restaurants can continue to cook with natural gas
• You are not being asked to replace your gas appliances

Learn more about our position on natural gas.

Our green building and community-wide greenhouse gas emission reduction targets do not account for embodied or upstream emissions.

Emissions from raw materials, transportation, construction, and building end-of-life occur as a result of energy used and GHGs emitted from building material resource extraction, production, and transportation. 

The Zero Emissions Building Plan focuses on zero emissions from the building’s operations.

A Carbon Neutral Building relates to the Greenest City Action Plan goal that all new buildings are carbon neutral by 2020.

Carbon neutrality is achieved through a combination of:

• Energy use reduction
• Transition to renewable energy sources
• Offsetting a building’s operational GHG emissions with reductions in emissions elsewhere

• Green Buildings Policy for Rezonings   (182 KB)
  • The policy is required for rezoning applications received after May 1, 2017
• Green Buildings Policy for Rezonings - process and requirements bulletin  (360 KB)
• Energy Modelling Guidelines  (512 KB)
• ZEBP Energy Checklist (31 KB)
• Low-Carbon Energy Systems Policy  (120 KB)
  • Approved by Council on November 15, 2017
  • Defines the requirements for Low-Carbon Energy Systems for use in City policies and bylaws

For more information on the current energy requirements in Vancouver’s Building Bylaw, please visit our dedicated page:

• Energy requirements, forms, and checklists for large and retail/commercial buildings

On February 7, 2017, Council approved updates to the energy efficiency requirements in bylaw for residential buildings under seven stories, including townhomes, and for exceptionally large single-family homes.

These updates apply to new building permit applications received on or after March 1, 2018. The text of the by-law updates may be found here:

• Download Bylaw Amendment Book I  (1.26 MB) - effective March 1, 2018
  • Print and follow the instructions to insert into your VBBL2014 Book I

For other recent updates to the bylaw, visit our dedicated page, Vancouver Building Bylaw.

We are proposing changes to improve energy efficiency in Vancouver’s Building Bylaw and the Green Buildings Policy for Rezonings.

The proposed changes are summarized in a consultation letter sent to industry associations and members, available at the link below. Please send questions or feedback on the proposed changes to Green.Buildings@vancouver.ca by February 9, 2018.

The proposed changes will be presented to City Council on May 2, 2018. 

• Updated – consultation letter – energy efficiency updates to bylaw and rezoning  (432 KB)
• Final - consultation letter - energy efficiency updates to bylaw and rezoning  (513 KB)

• ZEBP Target Testing Study  (248 KB)
• Passive Cooling Study for MURBs  (3 MB)
• Rezoning Cost Comparison – residential  (144 KB)
• Rezoning Cost Comparison – office  (132 KB)
• Efficient Restaurant Design: a Resource Guide to Achieving a 35% Reduction in Energy Consumption  (313 KB)