Navigating Vancouver’s Building By-Law (VBBL) Compliance
Simplifying Embodied Carbon Calculations for Part 3 and Part 9 Buildings: Navigating Vancouver’s Building By-Law (VBBL) Compliance
As Vancouver pushes forward with its ambitious Climate Emergency Action Plan, embodied carbon reporting has become a critical part of meeting Vancouver Building By-law (VBBL) standards. If you're a builder or developer in Vancouver, mastering the embodied carbon requirements for Part 3 and Part 9 buildings is crucial not only for VBBL compliance but for leading the way in sustainable, low-impact construction.
Part 3 vs. Part 9 Buildings: What's the Difference?
Under the VBBL, buildings are generally categorized into two main groups:
Part 3 Buildings: These include large, complex structures such as high-rise residential, commercial, and industrial buildings. Any building over 600 square meters in building area or more than three stories in height, fall under Part 3. This category also covers major occupancies, such as assembly occupancies, care facilities, and high-hazard industrial occupancies.
Part 9 Buildings: These are smaller buildings, such as single-family homes, townhouses, and smaller residential buildings. Part 9 buildings are typically three stories or fewer and less than 600 square meters in building area.
Embodied Carbon Reporting: What's Required?
The VBBL has introduced strict requirements for reducing embodied carbon emissions in construction projects, particularly for Part 3 buildings. Embodied carbon shall be calculated using a Whole-Building Life Cycle Assessment (wbLCA) methodology using a cradle-to-grave life cycle boundary. This means calculating the emissions generated through the extraction, manufacturing, and installation of building materials, and throughout the building's life cycle. Currently a building shall be designed and constructed to achieve whole-building embodied carbon impacts of not more than double that of a functionally equivalent baseline. However, we anticipate this requirement to change in January of 2025.
In January of 2025, 1-6 storey buildings that can be built with wood or mass timber must have 20% embodied carbon reductions compared to the baseline and all other buildings will require 10% embodied carbon reductions. Additionally, all new Part 3 buildings must meet one responsible source materials category or double the minimum embodied carbon reductions noted above. The minimum requirement changing from no more than 200% of the equivalent baseline to a 10% reduction is a monumental shift forward and will require diligent calculations and emissions reductions efforts from builders and suppliers.
For Part 9 buildings, there are currently no mandatory embodied carbon requirements under the VBBL, but builders can voluntarily use embodied carbon guidelines to future-proof their projects.
How Build Neutral Can Help
At Build Neutral, we understand that navigating these new requirements can be challenging. Whether you're working on a large Part 3 project or a smaller Part 9 building, we offer tailored solutions to make embodied carbon reporting straightforward and effective.
Here’s how we can help you meet VBBL requirements:
Embodied Carbon Assessment: We assist in calculating the embodied carbon of your project and sourcing low embodied carbon material alternatives to ensure that your building complies with VBBL standards.
EPD Data Collection: We simplify the process of sourcing Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for your materials. We will help you determine which materials require embodied carbon reporting and which do not.
Baseline Establishment: For builders following the Baseline Path in the VBBL, we help create functionally equivalent baselines for accurate compliance reporting ensuring the project will meet the low-impact carbon requirements.
Consultation and Support: Our industry LCA experts will guide you through the entire process, from early-stage planning to submitting your Embodied Carbon Design Report.
Why Builders Can Trust Build Neutral
As an Indigenous-owned company specializing in sustainable construction solutions, Build Neutral brings a unique combination of industry expertise and cutting-edge environmental science. Our team works alongside you to not only meet compliance but to exceed environmental expectations, reducing both your carbon footprint and your project’s long-term impact.
Get Started Today
Ready to tackle embodied carbon compliance? Contact Build Neutral for a consultation and take the first step toward building greener, more sustainable projects. Let us handle the complexities of the Vancouver Building By-law while you focus on what you do best: building.
