Passive House and the BC Energy Step Code: What Is the Difference?
By Brett Sichello ·
Passive House is among the most rigorous and best-established building energy performance standards in the world. The BC Energy Step Code was developed based on Passive House standards, but it is considerably less rigorous in both its modelled and its actual performance.
The same number does not mean the same house
A certified Passive House allows a maximum heating demand of 15 kWh/m² per year, modelled in the Passive House Planning Package (PHPP). Step Code homes are modelled in HOT2000. The two programs can produce similar-looking heating demand figures, but the figures are not comparable, because HOT2000 leaves out or simplifies several crucial heat-loss considerations:
- window component and installation details
- thermal bridges, both point and linear
- energy recovery ventilation performance
- solar gains and shading
- differences in how floor areas are measured
These differences add up quickly. In our experience, if HOT2000 models a house at 15 kWh/m² per year, the PHPP would realistically model the same house at 25 to 35 kWh/m² per year once all of these items are taken into account.
Where our clients land
Most of our clients build all-electric homes. In those cases our clients generally meet Step 5 requirements.
Why we recommend all-electric homes
- Low demand makes gas a poor fit. With very low heating demand, the gas a home actually uses represents only 10 to 20 per cent of the monthly bill when a natural gas connection is included. You end up paying mostly for the connection charge, transportation, distribution and environmental levies.
- BC has low-emission power. We are fortunate to have an abundance of low-cost hydroelectric power, which keeps a home’s carbon footprint low.
- Solar unlocks independence. When a low-energy home is paired with solar panels, it can keep running during power outages, bring ongoing utility costs very low, and use the excess energy to charge an electric vehicle, which removes ongoing fuel costs.
It is a powerful combination, and it points to real independence and lasting sustainability.
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