Why is updating the Green Building Policy important?

Since the Green Building Policy was adopted in 2008, green building and sustainable design practices, technologies, and standards have evolved. Whistler has identified updated sustainability and climate action goals and targets, and provincially, British Columbia has adopted a new approach to energy efficiency in new buildings with the introduction of the BC Energy Step Code.

The updated Green Building Policy will advance municipal policy implementation and will align with provincial and municipal guidelines and industry best practices while improving and simplifying the process for applicants.

What is changing?

With Whistler's adoption of the BC Energy Step Code, the building emissions and energy component of the current Green Building Policy will be implemented through the municipality's Building Bylaw. The scope of the Green Building Policy will be revised to reflect this change, and the updated policy will provide a holistic approach to sustainability and green building priorities focusing on water conservation, construction and demolition waste reduction, increasing the use of locally sourced and low-emitting building materials and finishes, and ecosystem/site protection and enhancement.

Scope of Policy

This policy addresses new construction at the scale of individual buildings and sites. It establishes performance targets and guidelines for new construction in buildings under Part 9 (houses and small buildings) and Part 3 (large and complex buildings) of the BC Building Code. The guidelines and requirements are grouped thematically and organized in six sections:

1. Energy and Emissions
2. Building Materials
3. Sustainable Site Design
4. Green Mobility
5. Water Conservation and Rainwater Management
6. Solid Waste

The policy focuses on establishing guidelines and requirements to achieve higher sustainability standards as a condition for rezoning applications, through the RMOW's discretionary authority to enact and amend zoning bylaws.

Renovation and expansions to existing buildings that do not trigger a rezoning are encouraged to implement relevant sections of the policy where possible.

Policy Objectives

Whistler’s Green Building Policy proposes a flexible, performance-based framework for new construction, based on the sustainability and climate action goals established in the Climate Action Big Moves Strategy and the 2018 Official Community Plan (OCP). The policy advances the implementation of Big Moves #1 and #2 by ensuring that new buildings address active transportation facilities and electric vehicle infrastructure. The guidelines also support Big Moves #4 and #6 by aligning with the BC Energy Step Code in order to accelerate the transition toward zero-emission buildings but also by lowering the carbon consumption associated with building construction and operations.

The Green Building Policy advances key sustainability goals from the OCP, specifically reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from buildings and infrastructure, reduction of environmental and energy impacts at a neighborhood level, and promoting land development that minimizes impacts on the natural environment.