Mandate

Subject to CBHCC direction on the role of the codes on aspects of climate resilience, the National Model Codes Committee (NMCC) on Climate Change Adaptation will develop requirements in response to the changing climate in the areas of overheating, durability and resistance to deterioration, high winds and tornadoes, permafrost zones, wildland urban interface, and flood-resistant design in buildings in the National Model Codes as described below and in accordance with the Canadian Board for Harmonized Construction Codes (CBHCC) approved work plan.

Note: the breakdown of mandates shown below does not necessarily reflect the recommended task groups and working groups being planned.

Overheating
  • Continue the work from the previous code cycle to assess the application of the mitigation measures that address overheating in dwellings and buildings based on methods of evaluating cooling loads, occupancy classification, and regional variances such as but not limited to temperature and relative humidity. Recommend code changes where appropriate.
  • Evaluate passive cooling strategies and recommend code changes for prescriptive requirements for Part 9 of the National Building Code (NBC), where appropriate.
Durability: resistance to deterioration in Part 3 buildings (subject to CBHCC policy direction)
  • Recommend code changes in NBC Part 5 to address resistance to deterioration from the effects of the environment and climate change, with consideration for air leakage control, vapor diffusion control, heat flow control, moisture control, and structural deterioration resistance, where appropriate.
Extreme wind
  • Recommend code changes to mitigate risks from extreme winds for high and post-disaster importance building categories described in Table 4.1.2.1. Importance Categories for Buildings in Division B, Part 4 of the National Building Code (NBC), where appropriate.
  • Recommend code changes for prescriptive requirements for Division B, Part 9 of the NBC to mitigate risks from extreme winds as appropriate, based on future climate data (see below).
  • Recommend code changes to include future climatic data on extreme wind events, consistent with future projections in the 2025 National Model Codes, where appropriate.
  • Consider available standards and coordinate with research, where appropriate.
Wildland urban interface (WUI) (subject to CBHCC policy direction)
  • Recommend code changes to address fire risks where buildings interface with wildlands, where appropriate.
Permafrost
  • Recommend code changes, where appropriate, to address design of foundations in continuous and discontinuous permafrost regions in Division B, Part 4 of the NBC.
  • Recommend code changes, where appropriate, for prescriptive requirements to address design of foundations in continuous and discontinuous permafrost regions in Division B, Part 9 of the NBC without requiring mandatory geotechnical assessments.
  • Recommend code changes to include future projected data on permafrost regions consistent with the 2025 National Model Codes, where appropriate.
  • Consider available standards and coordinate with research, where appropriate.
Flood-resistant design
  • Recommend code changes, where appropriate, to address flood loads and mitigate risks of water ingress during flooding events for high-importance and post-disaster buildings in Part 4 – Structural Design of the National Building Code (NBC).
  • Recommend prescriptive code changes, where appropriate, in Part 9 – Housing and Small Buildings of the NBC to address flood loads and mitigate risks of water ingress during flooding events.
  • Recommend code changes to integrate future projected climatic data on flood events consistent with the 2025 National Model Codes, where appropriate.
  • Consider incorporating regional variations in flood-resistant design requirements to account for urban, riverine, coastal, and Great Lakes flooding classifications, ensuring designs reflect specific risks for each area.
  • Consider available standards and coordinate with research, where appropriate.

The NMCC is established by, and reports to, the CBHCC. The NMCC exists until the completion of its mandate or as otherwise directed by the CBHCC.

The NMCC will comply with the Operating Procedures of the Canadian Board for Harmonized Construction Codes.

Responsibilities

In accordance with the mandate described above:

  • develop proposed code changes for consideration for public review by the CBHCC;
    • in developing proposed code changes, consider:
      • harmonization with provincial/territorial variations where possible, if multiple provincial/territorial variations exist seek direction from the CBHCC;
      • code change requests identified in these Terms of Reference and forwarded by the CBHCC;
      • new and existing standards and guidelines; and
      • implications on other code requirements;
    • in developing proposed code changes, identify:
      • impacts of the proposed code changes; and
      • enforcement implications of the proposed code changes;
  • in consideration of public review comments received, recommend code changes for publication, for consideration by the CBHCC;
  • identify where research is needed to support the mandate and support coordination efforts;
  • identify opportunities for coordination with standard development and support coordination;
  • develop material on proposed changes for the relevant user’s guides and commentaries, where applicable;
  • prepare a final report outlining a brief summary of the deliberations and considerations that led to the recommendation including any outstanding unresolved issues or concerns; and
  • through the Chair:
    • monitor progress against the approved CBHCC work plan and provide regular progress updates to the CBHCC; and
    • participate on the Standing Codes Coordination Committee, to ensure that there are no overlaps with, or conflicts between, the work being developed and that of other committees.