We are thrilled to announce that Passive House Canada has been awarded the Codes Acceleration Fund (CAF) grant from Natural Resources Canada. This funding will support our ongoing efforts to accelerate the adoption of high-performance building standards across Canada by targeting key barriers inhibiting the growth of the industry in Canada.
The grant, part of the CAF’s Stream 2, aims to support organizations to develop capacity-building resources, tools, and approaches that will accelerate code adoption, compliance, and enforcement.
New Training and Assistance Programs:
- Building Officials Training: This virtual training aims to enhance the expertise of building officials in reviewing and approving high-performance building plans. By focusing on advanced building techniques, such as efficient enclosures and mechanical systems, the training will streamline the approval process and reduce project delays. Sign up For Building Official Training Updates
- Airtightness Field Testers and Designers Training: This in-person training will provide field testers and designers with the practical knowledge required for conducting airtightness testing on large buildings. The program will ensure that these professionals can verify and ensure building performance, contributing to overall compliance with high-performance standards. Sign up For Field Tester Training Updates
- Component Manufacturers Technical Assistance Program: Passive House Canada is seeking to engage manufacturers in developing high-performance windows, building envelopes, and ventilation systems. This program aims to foster collaboration with social housing providers, creating component specifications and driving market transformation. Manufacturers will receive targeted support to meet the demands of high-performance building components necessary to achieve energy efficiency and sustainability goals. Sign up For Manufacturer Assistance Updates
Expected Outcomes
- Increased availability and affordability of high-performance building products.
- Enhanced local capacity for energy-efficient building design and construction.
- Improved compliance with the upper tiers of national building codes.
Why is Training Needed?
The training programs are crucial as the building sector’s current knowledge and capacity lag behind evolving regulations and policies, leading to project delays, increased costs, and slowed market advancement toward higher national building codes. Many municipalities outsource high-performance building site plan reviews due to in-house officials’ unfamiliarity, resulting in higher costs and delays. Additionally, there is a significant lack of trained designers and field testers equipped to conduct large building airtightness testing, crucial for code compliance and verifying outcomes of high-performance buildings.
By addressing these gaps, the training will enhance the expertise of building officials and field testers, enabling more stringent airtightness requirements and improving energy savings, health, safety, and indoor air quality.
Why do Social Housing Providers Need Support?
Social housing providers need support because they face significant challenges in meeting the increased demand for high-performance building components necessary to achieve their energy efficiency and sustainability goals. With over $1.5 billion allocated from the CMHC Co-Investment Fund for high-performance new and retrofit projects by 2028, these providers are under pressure to comply with stringent funding requirements and greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets. However, the market has not yet transformed quickly enough to supply the necessary high-performance windows, building systems, and ventilation components. This support is essential to ensure that social housing projects can meet the highest standards of energy efficiency and resilience, ultimately improving the quality and sustainability of housing for vulnerable populations.
Passive House Canada will begin with an integrated design process involving social housing providers and manufacturers to develop component specifications. This will be followed by targeted support, aiming to build a robust, high-performance building sector capable of meeting ambitious energy performance standards.
This grant marks a significant milestone in Passive House Canada’s mission to promote high-performance buildings in Canada. We are excited to collaborate with our partners and stakeholders to drive market transformation and achieve our sustainability goals.
Stay tuned for updates on our progress and upcoming training opportunities.
