Important

This public review is now closed.
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The Canadian Commission on Building and Fire Codes (CCBFC) invites Code users and stakeholders to participate in the review of proposed changes to the National Building Code of Canada 2010 (NBC).

This national public review took place from January 9 to March 2, 2012.

Its purpose is to:

  • provide Code users and stakeholders with a detailed look at proposed technical changes, and
  • seek comment on each proposed technical change as to whether it should be approved, altered, or rejected.

The winter 2012 public review deals with proposed changes to incorporate energy efficiency for housing and small buildings into Part 9 of the 2010 NBC. These proposed changes relate to technical requirements covering the building envelope; heating, ventilating and air conditioning equipment; service water heating and performance compliance options for housing. The new energy objective originally developed for the 2011 National Energy Code of Canada for Buildings (NECB), to which the proposed Part 9 energy requirements are attributed, is also being introduced. The energy efficiency of larger non-residential and mixed-use buildings falling under Part 9 is addressed by requiring compliance with the NECB.

The public review closed at 4:00 p.m. EST on March 2, 2012, after which comments will no longer be accepted. The relevant committees of the CCBFC will review every comment that was received up to that date. The committees will then either withdraw the proposed change, recommend that it be reviewed further for future consideration as a proposed change, or recommend that it be approved by the CCBFC, with or without modification.

If approved by the CCBFC, the technical changes to incorporate energy efficiency for housing and small buildings into Part 9 of the 2010 NBC will be published as revisions to the 2010 NBC near the end of 2012.

Technical changes modify the technical meaning of Code provisions.

All comments submitted by March 2, 2012 will be reviewed by the relevant CCBFC committees. The committees will then either withdraw the proposed technical change, recommend that it be reviewed further for future consideration as a proposed change, or recommend that it be approved by the CCBFC, with or without modification.

If approved by the CCBFC, the technical changes to incorporate energy efficiency for housing and small buildings into Part 9 of the 2010 NBC will be published as revisions to the 2010 NBC near the end of 2012.

A consultation document provides the context for the proposed technical changes:

Table of contents

  • Partnership between the CCBFC, NRCan and NRC
  • CCBFC Policy Advice on Energy Efficiency in NBC Part 9
    • Application of Proposed Requirements
    • Energy Performance Target
    • No Differentiation on Assembly Construction
    • No Differentiation on Energy Sources
    • No Differentiation on Occupancy Types
    • Renewable Energy
    • Cost/Benefit Analysis
    • Validation of Energy Performance Level
    • Development of Technical Requirements
  • Objectives and Functional Statements
  • Compliance Paths
    • Prescriptive Route
    • Simple Trade-Off for the Building Envelope
    • Performance Route
  • Application
  • Technical Requirements – Prescriptive Path – Building Envelope
    • Calculations and Basic Assumptions
    • R-values and U-values
    • Climate Zones
    • Heat Loss Through Walls, Ceilings and Floors – Above Ground and Below Ground
    • Windows, Doors and Skylights
    • Fenestration and Door to Wall Ratio (FDWR)
    • Air Leakage
    • Simple Trade-Off Options for the Building Envelope
  • Technical Requirements – Prescriptive Path – Heating, Ventilating, Air-Conditioning (HVAC)
    • Ducts, Vents and Controls
    • Heat Recovery
    • Equipment Efficiency
    • Renewable Energy
  • Technical Requirements – Prescriptive Path – Service Water Heating (SWH)
    • Equipment Efficiency
    • Renewable Energy
  • Technical Requirements – Performance Path
    • Simulation Tools
    • Application of the Proposed Requirements
    • Concept of Performance Compliance
    • Calculation Methods
    • Reference and Proposed Houses
  • Cross References from Other Sections of Part 9

To receive the proposed changes for this public review, please contact the Secretary of the CCBFC.