Energy efficiency is the focus of a new extension-type amendment of the BC Building Code, that can greatly improve the sustainability of homes in British Columbia. Solar panels present an exciting way to have homes in the province comply with this Building Code amendment, which for now is voluntary, called the BC Energy Step Code. [...]
When the Vancouver Building By-Law came into effect earlier last year, the thermal efficiency of exterior walls went from a nominal R-22 – the thermal value of the insulation in between the studs – to effective R-22 – considering thermal bridging of the studs. Since then, the city has released a ‘Guide to R-22 Effective [...]
On March 4, 2015, the provincial government announced an enhanced licensing system for residential builders in BC. By enacting this mandatory regulation, licensed registered builders building under the 2012 BCBC and the 2014 VBBL will need to demonstrate proficiency in seven core competencies by completing training in each of the areas of the Homeowner Protection [...]
The beautiful city of West Vancouver is home to many stunning single-family homes with amazing views which can literally take your breath away. As a Building Envelope Engineer, the view as I approach West Vancouver while driving over the Lions Gate Bridge from Vancouver gets me excited to see how amazing the home will be [...]
Ever wonder why we have so much space in our attics? Or why we have soffit vents and roof vents? Sometimes these questions go unanswered and installing vents in our roofs happens just because the building code says to do it. So what happens if we don’t vent our roofs? How can this happen and [...]
