A strong voice for green building
CAGBC provides a voice for Canada’s green building sector. Our membership is made up of the people and businesses that design, construct and operate buildings. Working with our members, we grow awareness of green buildings as a proven solution for emissions reductions and greater sustainability. However, to achieve the scale required to meet market demand and climate targets, we need the support of all levels of government.
We build support by providing governments with recommendations and insights that encourage green building policies and by implementing solutions that reduce carbon emissions from buildings and increase resiliency. Thanks to our broad membership base and expertise, CAGBC brings green building leaders together to advance the research, projects, and partnerships that shape Canadian policies and programs.
Green buildings have the power to unlock economic potential.
Policies & regulations
CAGBC advocates for greater ambition that will provide benefits to Canadians from energy savings to job creations. CAGBC provides technical expertise and recommendations to policymakers supporting for example the implementation of three impactful policies: the Greening Government Strategy, the Green Buildings Strategy, and the Buy Clean principles . CAGBC also advises on regulations such as building codes that will include GHG operational emissions in the 2025 version and embodied in the 2030’s.
Finance & incentives
Increasingly, governments are putting in place incentives to promote energy efficiency and reduce emissions. Further, the federal government is working on a Canadian taxonomy and sustainable finance becomes more and more prominent. CAGBC advises the government on various programs that could support the decarbonization of Canada’s buildings, such as the Canada Infrastructure Bank’s Building Retrofits Initiative which uses CAGBC’s IREE certification. CAGBC also helps government implements solutions to aid market adoption of zero-carbon buildings, by encouraging the use of guidelines for transitioning planning and the extension of Cleantech Investment Tax Credit to technologies needed for high-performing buildings.
Supply chain
& procurement
If zero-carbon buildings are to become the new normal, Canada must have a low-carbon supply chain that includes structural materials such as cement, wood or steel, to low-carbon interior fittings. Through the work of CAGBC’s Accelerators, research and discussions with partners, the Council recommended a grant program for SMEs seeking EPDs/LCAs for materials. CAGBC continues to advocate for the government to use its procurement powers to demand more low-carbon materials for use in public buildings.
Climate action
Carbon emissions from buildings are still above the 2005 level (86 MTCO2 eq in 2021), and government projections ask for a 33 MTCO2 reduction to respect Canada‘s goal of reducing GHG emissions 40 to 45% by 2030 (ECCC). To get there faster, CAGBC is focused on large commercial and institutional buildings, representing over 40% of the sector emissions. Over the long term, these buildings – 155,000 including new and existing – must be zero-carbon buildings to reach Canada’s climate targets.
LATEST GOVERNMENT SUBMISSIONS
Submission to the pre-budget consultation, Standing Committee on Finance
Submission to the Pre-Budget Consultation 2024 Finance Canada
CAGBC pre-budget submissions for the 2024 budget
CAGBC Feedback on the Draft Policy Framework for Climate Change Mitigation (Wave 2)
