Whereas BC is facing both a climate emergency and a housing affordability crisis and one of the most affordable forms of new built single-family and multi-family housing is pre-fabricated wood-frame housing, typically taking one-half the time to construct and costing one-third to one-half the cost of concrete construction; And whereas BC is in the enviable position of having a supply of second-growth wood that could be utilized for a sustainable value-added industry in the manufacture of Passive House standard, wood-frame pre-fabricated modular housing: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM urge the Government of British Columbia to enable, support and promote the development of a zero-carbon standard, wood-frame modular housing manufacturing industry in BC, including by modifying the BC Building Code and BC Step Code to enable quicker permitting and approval of prefabricated wood-frame housing and by encouraging BC Housing to utilize BC-produced prefabricated wood-frame housing wherever possible in its projects.
Ministry of Housing The Province is committed to making new buildings zero carbon ready by 2030 and net-zero energy ready by 2032. The Ministry is proposing to introduce an opt-in Building Carbon Pollution Standard which local governments may reference in their building or zoning bylaws and raise minimum energy efficiency requirements by 20 per cent. CSA A277 certified modular homes, panels, and modules are an accepted type of construction under the British Columbia Building Code. Local governments already have the authority to administer and enforce Code requirements within their jurisdiction, which includes the issuance of building permits. There are examples of local governments offering incentives and fast-tracking permits for energy efficient construction. The Provinces Mass Timber Action Plan supports prefabrication and modular design and construction as all mass timber structural systems are prefabricated. The Mass Timber Demonstration Program provides funding for incremental costs in the design and construction of buildings that demonstrate emerging or new mass timber or mass timber hybrid systems and construction processes. Prefabrication is a feature of the design and construction for some projects. Mass Timber Plan URL: https:news.gov.bc.careleases2022JERI0015-000519 Mass Timber Demonstration Program URL: https:www.masstimberbc.ca