While the efficiency of future buildings will be improved with the forthcoming Provincial ‘green building code', announced in the 2007 Throne Speech, BC's existing buildings are major contributors to provincial emissions, primarily because of the natural gas used for space and water heating. Municipalities can use a number of tools to encourage efficiency and renewable energy in the wider community in both new and existing buildings.
A new three-year, $60 million LiveSmartBC: Efficiency Incentive Program will help British Columbians reduce both their carbon footprint and their energy costs through incentives to make their homes more energy efficient. The LiveSmartBC: Efficiency Incentive Program will give homeowners access to rebates for audits and energy efficiency incentives. More information is available at http://www.gov.bc.ca/empr/popt/livesmart_bc.html
Joining the Community Action on Energy Efficiency (CAEE) program, run by the BC Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, is one way of getting help to improve energy efficiency within your community. The program has produced a website to promote energy efficiency in buildings in BC: http://www.saveenergynow.ca/
As part of the CAEE program, the provincial government commissioned the Sheltair group to identify tools available to municipalities to promote energy efficiency in new buildings:
http://www.em.gov.bc.ca/alternativeenergy/EnergyEfficiency/energyefficiencypdfs/Part%202%20Municipal%20Energy%20May%203%20with%20logos%5B2%5D.pdf. The Canada Green Building Council has produced guidelines for municipalities on promoting green building (http://www.cagbc.org/green_resources/for_municipalities.php), as has West Coast Environmental Law (http://www.wcel.org/wcelpub/2006/14252.pdf).
Energy can sourced from renewable sources where possible, and municipal buildings consider installing renewable energy such as solar hot water or biomass energy systems.
Where renewable energy is not possible in municipal buildings, BC Hydro offers green energy purchase options: http://www.bchydro.com/business/gpcerts/gpcerts22520.html