BC Energy Step Code, Design Guide

Placeholder page for the supporting reference BC Energy Step Code, Design Guide, part of the Examitect reading list for the ExAC.

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BC Energy Step Code Design Guide at a glance

Here is the at-a-glance summary an Intern Architect can scan before opening the Guide for the first time.

Full titleBC Energy Step Code Design Guide, A Best Practices Guide for Local Governments, Architects, and Developers
PublisherBC Housing, in collaboration with BC Hydro, the City of Vancouver, the City of New Westminster, and the Province of British Columbia. Produced by HCMA Architecture + Design with Focal Engineering and Integral Group.
Current editionVersion 1.1, July 2019
Earlier editionsVersion 1.0, released by BC Housing in 2018
LanguagesEnglish
Primary audienceArchitects, developers, and local government staff working on mid- and high-rise Part 3 wood-frame and noncombustible residential buildings. Also useful for larger Part 9 wood-frame projects and other occupancies.
ExAC relevanceSupplementary resource on Examitect's ExAC study plan for Section 2 (objective 5.25, Apply the principles of the National Energy Code of Canada for Buildings) and Section 3 (objective 13.1, Analyze the impacts of climate change on design).
Where to accessFree PDF download, commonly available through energystepcode.ca and BC Housing's research centre.

Why the Design Guide matters for the ExAC

The Design Guide is the most accessible Canadian publication on performance-based energy design that an Intern Architect is likely to encounter. Examitect's ExAC study plan lists it as a supplementary resource in two places: Section 2 objective 5.25, where it backs up the NECB, and Section 3 objective 13.1, where it backs up CHING and CHOP on the impacts of climate change on design.

It will not be the primary basis of a question. But the vocabulary it defines, TEDI, TEUI, airtightness, thermal bridging, effective R-value, VFAR, WWR, HRV, ERV, and compartmentalization, shows up in scenario questions that test whether you can recognize which design move improves which performance metric. That recognition is the skill the ExAC is asking for.

The Guide also frames the design conversation in plain language. Where the NECB sets the regulatory floor, the Step Code sets a series of voluntary steps above it, and the Design Guide explains what changes in the design when you move from Step 2 to Step 4. That continuum is useful intuition even for candidates outside British Columbia, because every Canadian jurisdiction is moving in the same direction.

ExAC sections this reference supports

Section 1
Section 2
Section 3
Section 4

What the BC Energy Step Code Design Guide is

The BC Energy Step Code Design Guide is a practical playbook for meeting the performance targets of the BC Energy Step Code. It is not a code, not a textbook, and not a design contract. It is a publicly funded guide that translates the Step Code's energy and airtightness targets into the design moves that get you there at the lowest cost.

The Guide focuses on mid-rise and high-rise Part 3 wood-frame and noncombustible residential buildings, which is where most of the Step Code's early adoption has happened. The strategies still apply to larger Part 9 wood-frame residential buildings and to buildings with other occupancies, so the Guide reads as a general primer on energy efficient design in British Columbia, with worked examples for multi-unit residential buildings (MURBs).

It also addresses the City of Vancouver's Zero Emissions Building Plan (ZEBP), which sits parallel to the Step Code with an added greenhouse gas intensity (GHGI) target. Supplements S1, S2, and S3 at the back of the Guide cover Vancouver-specific compliance, low-carbon mechanical systems, and overheating and indoor air quality risks.

Inside the BC Energy Step Code Design Guide

The Guide is roughly 48 pages plus three supplements, organized into five sections, an appendix, and the Vancouver ZEBP material. Knowing the shape of the document makes it much faster to find what you need on study night.

SectionWhat it coversWhere it lands on the ExAC
Section 1, Introduction What the BC Energy Step Code is, why a Design Guide is needed, who the Guide is for, and what it covers. Includes the policy context, the 2032 net-zero energy ready target, and the four steps of the standard. Section 2 background; useful framing for any NECB or energy code question.
Section 2, How to Use this Guide How the Guide supports local governments and how architects and developers should use it through pre-application, rezoning, development permit, building permit, field review, and occupancy. Section 4 context for how energy targets enter the approval process.
Section 3, Designing for the Step Code The eight key strategies: simplified massing and orientation, unit density, fenestration, building R-values, thermal bridging, airtightness, heat recovery during ventilation, and decoupling heating and cooling from ventilation. Each is mapped to TEDI, TEUI, or airtightness. The core testable material. Sustainable design literacy and climate change impact questions live here.
Section 4, Design Strategies for High-Rise and Mid-Rise MURBs Worked examples of how each strategy plays out in a high-rise concrete MURB and a mid-rise wood-frame MURB, including R-value targets, window U-values, balcony detailing, and mechanical system choices. Background; helpful for building intuition on the trade-offs in a scenario question.
Section 5, Benefits of Energy Efficient Design Occupant health and comfort, cost reductions, industry consistency, alignment with current technology, and greenhouse gas reductions. The argument for going beyond minimum code. Context for the climate change impact on design category in Section 3.
Appendix A1, Glossary Roughly 30 defined terms, including TEDI, TEUI, airtightness, effective R-value, VFAR, WWR, HRV, ERV, compartmentalization, thermal bridging, and Part 3 vs. Part 9 buildings. Use as a study glossary throughout Sections 2 and 3.
Supplements S1 to S3 S1 Complying with the City of Vancouver's Zero Emissions Building Plan, S2 summary of key strategies for the ZEBP, and S3 overheating and indoor air quality. Lower priority for ExAC purposes; useful if a question asks about GHGI or summer overheating.

If you are short on time, read Section 1 and Section 3 in full, skim Section 2 and Section 4 for context, and use Appendix A1 as a glossary. The supplements are useful but lower priority.

Key BC Energy Step Code terms every ExAC candidate should know

The Guide defines its vocabulary precisely in Appendix A1. Learn these terms early so you spend exam time choosing the answer, not parsing the question.

TermWhat it means in the Design Guide
BC Energy Step CodeA voluntary, performance-based provincial standard adopted in April 2017 that local governments may use to require new buildings to exceed the BC Building Code's energy requirements. Organized as a series of steps of increasing performance.
Thermal Energy Demand Intensity (TEDI)Total annual heating energy needed to maintain a comfortable indoor temperature, expressed in kWh per square metre per year. Considers passive gains and losses plus energy needed to heat ventilation air.
Total Energy Use Intensity (TEUI)Total annual energy a building uses per unit of floor area, including plug loads and process loads. Expressed in kWh per square metre per year.
AirtightnessAn envelope's resistance to air leakage. Measured in Part 3 buildings as the Normalized Air Leakage Rate, expressed as L/s per square metre at 75 Pa pressure differential.
Effective R-valueAn envelope's thermal resistance accounting for framing, fasteners, and other materials that interrupt the insulation layer. Always lower than the nominal R-value.
Thermal bridgingHeat transfer through materials and structures that interrupt the building's continuous insulation, lowering overall energy efficiency. Includes geometric thermal bridges at corners and material thermal bridges through framing and balcony slabs.
VFARVertical surface area to floor area ratio. Buildings in B.C. lose the most heat through vertical surfaces, so a lower VFAR reduces heat loss potential.
WWRWindow-to-wall ratio, or the percentage of the facade made up of glazing. Lower WWR generally improves TEDI.
HRV / ERVHeat Recovery Ventilator and Energy Recovery Ventilator. Both capture heat from exhaust air; an ERV also transfers humidity between exhaust and supply streams.
CompartmentalizationIsolating individual suites or units so they are individually ventilated and air-sealed. Improves airtightness and is often used to reach Step 3 and above.
Greenhouse Gas Intensity (GHGI)Emissions intensity expressed in kg of CO2e per square metre per year. Performance metric under the City of Vancouver's Zero Emissions Building Plan, not the Step Code itself.
Part 3 vs. Part 9 buildingPart 3 buildings are over three storeys or larger than 600 m2, or smaller buildings of specific use. Part 9 buildings are smaller residential and low-hazard commercial. The Step Code applies different targets to each.

How the Design Guide compares to other ExAC references

The Design Guide sits beside several other energy and sustainability references on Examitect's ExAC study plan. Use this comparison to decide what to read for which kind of question.

ReferenceWhat it's forHow the Design Guide relates
BC Energy Step Code Design GuideDesign strategies to meet the BC Energy Step Code in Part 3 buildings.The architect-facing companion to the Step Code, focused on early-stage design choices.
BC Energy Step Code Builder GuideConstruction details and on-site practices for Part 9 buildings.Builder-facing sibling. Both appear together as supplementary resources on Examitect's study plan.
NECB 2020The mandatory national energy code for buildings.NECB is the regulatory floor; the Step Code is a voluntary provincial standard that sits above it. The Design Guide is the practical bridge.
CHING (Building Construction Illustrated)Building science, assemblies, materials, and detailing.CHING covers what to build; the Design Guide explains how to assemble it to meet a TEDI or airtightness target.
CHOP, Chapter 5.5The architect's role in sustainable design and integrated design.CHOP describes the process; the Design Guide describes the design moves and the metrics they affect.
Building Envelope Thermal Bridging GuideDetailed catalogue of thermal bridges and effective R-values for typical assemblies.Deep dive on one of the Design Guide's eight key strategies.
Zero Carbon Building StandardNational voluntary carbon framework.ZCB pushes beyond energy into carbon; the Design Guide stays focused on energy and airtightness.
Heating, Cooling, LightingTextbook on environmental control systems for buildings.Building science foundation; the Design Guide is the Canadian, code-aligned application.

How to study the BC Energy Step Code Design Guide for the ExAC

  • Read Section 1 and Section 2 first so you understand what the Step Code is, who uses it, and where in the rezoning, permit, and occupancy process it gets applied.
  • Memorize the three performance metrics: TEDI, TEUI, and airtightness. Be able to define each in one sentence and explain which design moves push each up or down.
  • Work through Section 3 in full. The eight key strategies are the testable design moves, and each one ends with a key takeaway and a chart showing which metric it affects.
  • Skim Section 4 for the MURB-specific worked examples. You do not need the numbers, but the trade-offs build intuition for scenario questions.
  • Use Appendix A1 as a glossary. Copy the definitions for TEDI, TEUI, airtightness, effective R-value, thermal bridging, VFAR, WWR, HRV, ERV, and compartmentalization into flashcards.
  • Pair the Design Guide with the NECB 2020 for Section 2, and with CHING Chapter 1 and CHOP Chapter 5.5 for the Section 3 climate change category. The Design Guide is supplementary; those references are primary.

ExAC sections the Design Guide supports

Examitect's ExAC study plan lists primary and supplementary resources for each category. Here is where the BC Energy Step Code Design Guide shows up on that plan.

ExAC sectionHow the Design Guide shows up on Examitect's study plan
Section 1
Design and analysis		Not listed. Section 1 sustainability angles are covered by CHING, CHOP, and The Architect's Studio Companion.
Section 2
Codes		Listed as a supplementary resource for objective 5.25, Apply the principles of the National Energy Code of Canada for Buildings (NECB). The primary reference is the NECB 2020.
Section 3
Sustainability and final project		Listed as a supplementary resource for objective 13.1, Analyze the impacts of climate change on design. Primary references are CHING 1.03 and 1.11 to 1.12 and CHOP Chapter 5.5.
Section 4
Construction and practice		Not listed. Section 4 is covered primarily by CHOP, RAIC Documents 6 and 9, and the CCDC contracts.

Tips for Intern Architects reading the Design Guide

The Design Guide is written for working architects, developers, and local government staff, not students. If you are early in your internship under the Internship in Architecture Program (IAP), here is how to read it without spending a full weekend.

Tip 1, lock down the three metrics first. TEDI is heating energy demand, TEUI is total energy use, airtightness is the rate at which air leaks through the envelope. Almost every page of Section 3 maps back to one of those three. If you understand the metrics, you understand the structure of the document.

Tip 2, learn the eight key strategies as a checklist. Simplified massing, unit density, fenestration, R-values, thermal bridging, airtightness, heat recovery, and decoupled heating and ventilation. Write them on a single card with the metric each one most affects. Scenario questions almost always test one of these.

Tip 3, watch the difference between nominal and effective R-value. Effective R-value is what counts. Framing members, balcony slabs, and parapets all reduce the effective R-value below the insulation's nominal rating. The Step Code targets are written against effective values.

Tip 4, treat airtightness as a design problem, not a construction problem. The Guide is clear that airtightness starts with simple massing, fewer envelope penetrations, and good interface detailing. You decide most of the airtightness number at design development, not on site.

Tip 5, separate the BC Energy Step Code from the Vancouver ZEBP. The Step Code uses TEDI, TEUI, and airtightness. Vancouver's Zero Emissions Building Plan adds GHGI, a greenhouse gas intensity metric, on top. If a question is set in Vancouver, look for the GHGI tell.

Tip 6, do not memorize the step thresholds. The Step Code's numerical targets change with the climate zone and building type, and the ExAC will not test you on a specific kWh number. It will test whether you can identify the right design move for the right metric.

Tip 7, do not over-invest. The Design Guide is a supplementary resource on Examitect's ExAC study plan. Spend most of your Section 2 time on the NECB and most of your Section 3 time on CHING and CHOP. Use the Design Guide to fill out your vocabulary. One focused reading is enough.

Common ExAC scenarios where the Design Guide is the answer

These question types come up in Section 2 and Section 3. If you see one, the Design Guide's vocabulary is what the question is testing.

  • An early massing study shows a building with several setbacks, a high glazing-to-wall ratio, and a small floor plate. Which of TEDI, TEUI, or airtightness will be hardest to meet, and which design moves would improve the result?
  • A client asks why the design team is pushing for an HRV when the mechanical engineer prefers a simple exhaust system. How should the architect explain the role of heat recovery in meeting a TEDI target?
  • A consultant proposes an unbroken cantilevered concrete balcony slab on a high-rise MURB. What is the issue from an effective R-value standpoint, and what detailing strategies does the Design Guide recommend?
  • An air leakage test result comes back at the higher end of the acceptable range. What design and construction strategies would the architect recommend to compartmentalize units and improve the next test?
  • A Vancouver project must meet the City's Zero Emissions Building Plan. What additional metric applies beyond TEDI and TEUI, and which mechanical system choices best support it?
  • A developer wants a deeper floor plate to reach a TEDI target with a simpler envelope. What are the trade-offs the architect should raise with the client, particularly around daylighting and natural ventilation?
  • A small Part 9 wood-frame project is being designed to a high step. Which Step Code strategies from the Design Guide transfer cleanly to Part 9, and which would the Builder Guide cover more specifically?

Each scenario can be answered by recognizing which of the three core metrics is at stake and which of the eight key strategies the question is pointing at.

How Examitect reinforces the Design Guide

Reading the Design Guide once builds the energy and envelope vocabulary. Examitect's question bank draws on that vocabulary for Section 2 NECB items and Section 3 climate change items, including scenario questions about TEDI, TEUI, airtightness, thermal bridging, and heat recovery. Each answer explanation points back to the specific concept the question is testing, so you can re-read just the few pages of the Guide you need rather than the whole document.

You also get full-length mock exams that mirror ExAC pacing and free study notes for every section. Try a few sample questions first, then check pricing when you want the full bank.

BC Energy Step Code Design Guide and ExAC FAQ

The BC Energy Step Code Design Guide is a publication produced by BC Housing in collaboration with BC Hydro, the City of Vancouver, the City of New Westminster, and the Province of British Columbia. Version 1.1 was released in July 2019. It explains the key design strategies for meeting the BC Energy Step Code in mid-rise and high-rise Part 3 wood-frame and noncombustible residential buildings, and it is also useful for larger Part 9 wood-frame buildings and other occupancies.

No. Examitect's ExAC study plan lists the BC Energy Step Code Design Guide as a supplementary resource. It supports two categories: Section 2 objective 5.25 (Apply the principles of the National Energy Code of Canada for Buildings) and Section 3 objective 13.1 (Analyze the impacts of climate change on design). The primary code reference for energy on the ExAC is the NECB 2020.

Section 2 (Codes) for NECB-related questions, and Section 3 (Sustainability and final project) for climate change impact on design. The Design Guide is paired with the BC Energy Step Code Builder Guide on Examitect's study plan for both categories.

The BC Energy Step Code is a voluntary, performance-based provincial standard adopted in April 2017 as amendments to the BC Building Act and the Local Government Act. Local governments may use it to require new construction to exceed the energy efficiency requirements of the BC Building Code. The standard is organized as a series of steps of increasing energy performance, with the top step representing a net-zero energy ready building. The Province has set a goal that all new buildings reach net-zero energy ready by 2032.

TEDI (Thermal Energy Demand Intensity) is the total annual heating energy needed to maintain a comfortable indoor temperature, expressed in kWh per square metre per year. TEUI (Total Energy Use Intensity) is the total annual energy a building uses per unit of floor area, including plug and process loads. Airtightness in Part 3 buildings is measured as the Normalized Air Leakage Rate at 75 Pa pressure differential. These are the three performance metrics the BC Energy Step Code uses.

Start with Section 1 and Section 2 to understand what the Step Code is, who uses it, and how it integrates into the design and approval process. Then read Section 3 in full, the key strategies (massing, fenestration, R-values, thermal bridging, airtightness, heat recovery, and decoupled heating and ventilation) are the testable material. Skim Section 4 for the MURB-specific examples, and use Appendix A1 as a glossary. Pair the reading with the NECB and CHING Chapter 1 for full context.

The BC Energy Step Code Design Guide is written for architects, developers, and local governments, and focuses on early-stage design strategies for Part 3 buildings. The BC Energy Step Code Builder Guide is written for builders, trades, and inspectors, and focuses on Part 9 (small) residential construction details. Both are supplementary resources on Examitect's ExAC study plan for the same two categories.

The Guide is published by BC Housing and is typically available at no cost through energystepcode.ca and through BC Housing's research centre. Check the provincial site for the current version and any addenda.

Keep exploring

Other ExAC reference books.

The Design Guide is one of several energy and sustainability resources on Examitect's ExAC study plan. Continue with the rest.

NECB

National Energy Code of Canada for Buildings. The primary code reference for the same Section 2 category the Design Guide supports.

BC Step Code Builder Guide

The builder-facing companion. Same slot on Examitect's study plan, focused on Part 9 construction details.

CHING

Building Construction Illustrated. Primary reference for Section 3 climate change impact on design.

CHOP

Canadian Handbook of Practice. Chapter 5.5 is the primary reference for sustainable design literacy.

Thermal Bridging Guide

Detailed catalogue of thermal bridges and effective R-values for typical Canadian assemblies.

Supporting references

The extended reading list of supplementary references that show up across the ExAC reading list.