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In This Issue
- Long-term performance of Vacuum Insulation Panels (VIP) in the Canadian climate
- Fall 2012 public review of proposed changes to the 2010 National Codes
- Fires overhead: improving firefighting tactics for commercial roofs
- Health and well-being through residential windows
- Enhancing the blast performance of critical infrastructure
- Contaminants from attached garages
- Reducing radon in buildings
- Deadline approaching for changes to the National Codes
- NBC Part 9 energy efficiency requirements approved
- Decoding the Code development process
- Intent statements for National Building Code 2010 now available
- National Farm Building Code requirements to be updated
- New CCMC Evaluation Reports and Listings
NBC Part 9 energy efficiency requirements approved
Energy efficiency requirements for housing and small buildings include new provisions for log home construction
The special winter 2012 public review on proposed changes to incorporate energy efficiency requirements for housing and small buildings into Part 9 of the National Building Code of Canada (NBC) 2010 did not bring any major concerns to light. Most of the 320 comments received were supportive, although often requesting modifications, and most related to building envelope requirements. As a result, several proposed changes were revised.
The final proposed changes were reviewed by the provinces and territories prior to their submission to the Canadian Commission on Building and Fire Codes (CCBFC) at their annual meeting in June 2012. The CCBFC unanimously approved the proposed changes and these will be published as revisions to the NBC on the national codes website in late fall 2012.
The most significant modifications to the proposed changes concerned log home construction, building envelope calculation methods, air barrier assemblies and efficiency ratings for gas fireplaces.
The requirements for log home construction were revised to reference an International Code Council standard that provides a method for calculating the thermal resistance of any log shape or wood type. The originally proposed calculation method for the thermal resistance of building envelope assemblies was replaced with a method that is consistent with the one used by Natural Resources Canada’s ENERGY STAR® for New Homes Initiative. Requirements concerning air barrier assemblies were clarified to allow the use of concrete block with paint and log home walls. Lastly, the minimum fireplaces efficiency ratings originally proposed (which would have eliminated most current models) were dropped in favour of a prescriptive Sentence requiring direct-venting and limiting the use of standing pilot lights in these appliances.
This project was made possible through collaboration between the CCBFC, Natural Resources Canada and the National Research Council of Canada.
For more information, contact Frank Lohmann at frank.lohmann@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca or 613-993-9599.
