In May 2020 the standing committee on energy efficiency (SC-EE) made the decision to exclude large commercial, institutional and multi-residential buildings from the need for whole building airtightness testing. Passive House Canada is strongly opposed to this change and has submitted a letter to the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry calling for the reversal of this decision.
Without air tightness testing there is no assurance that a building is meeting its high-performance design parameters. In 2016, the federal government indicated its desire to “adopt increasingly stringent model building codes, starting in 2020 with the goal that provinces and territories adopt a ‘net-zero energy ready’ model building code by 2030” (Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change, 2016). This decision threatens Canada’s ability to deliver its targets and jeopardizes the pathway to high performance buildings.
There is increasing urgency for emissions in buildings to be addressed. Air tightness testing is a critical tool to achieve high performance low carbon resilient buildings. Without it, Canada is taking a major step backwards. This must be addressed immediately.
The government needs to know that this issue matters to you. We encourage you to contact your local MP and copy the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry to voice your concerns. Please contact Anna Milner, our Manager of Government Relations, with any questions or for assistance.
