What this guide covers
- What the Step Code actually is (and a useful analogy)
- The 5 steps explained in plain language
- What each step costs and when it becomes mandatory
- What happens during your build (3 checkpoints)
- Where Revelstoke stands (and why it matters)
- Why this matters beyond checking a box
What Is the BC Energy Step Code?
The BC Energy Step Code is a performance standard for new buildings. Instead of telling builders exactly which materials to use or how thick the walls need to be, it sets energy targets your home has to hit. The builder decides how to get there.
Think of it like a fuel efficiency rating for your house.
The government does not care if you use a four-cylinder engine or a hybrid. They care about the kilometres per litre. Same idea: the code sets the energy performance target, and your builder and energy advisor figure out the most cost-effective way to meet it.
There are five steps for Part 9 buildings (houses and small buildings 3 storeys or less with a footprint under 600 square metres). Step 1 is a small improvement over the base building code. Step 5 is a net-zero-energy-ready home, which means the home is designed and built so that if a renewable energy system were installed later, it could produce as much energy as it consumes over a year. Each step requires your home to hit specific targets for two things:
- Energy use intensity: How much energy the home consumes per square metre per year.
- Airtightness: How much air leaks through the building envelope, measured in air changes per hour at 50 Pascals of pressure (ACH50).
Lower numbers on both metrics = better performance = higher step.
The 5 Steps, Explained
Step 1: The Starting Line
A marginal improvement over base code. Requires energy modelling before construction starts, which means someone actually calculates your home's expected energy performance instead of everyone just hoping the insulation is thick enough. Cost impact is negligible.
What it means for you: Almost nothing changes. Your builder runs an energy model. That is about it.
Step 2: A Small Bump
Tightens energy and airtightness targets slightly. A bit more attention to air sealing, possibly minor insulation upgrades. Cost premium is small, usually absorbed into normal construction.
What it means for you: Marginally better performance. Slightly lower heating bills. You probably would not feel the difference walking through the house.
Step 3: Where BC Builds Right Now
This is the step that matters most in 2026.
As of March 10, 2025, every new Part 9 home in BC must meet Step 3 under the 2024 BC Building Code. Revelstoke has required it since January 1, 2022 under Building Bylaw No. 2294, just over three years ahead of the rest of the province.
Step 3 is where you start to feel the difference. The airtightness target for Step 3 is 2.5 ACH50. The building envelope needs to perform as a system. Your builder needs to understand air barriers, thermal bridging, and how every penetration through the envelope affects the airtightness number.
BC Housing's 2017 Energy Step Code Metrics Research Study (the provincial reference for cost premiums) modelled a 1,720 square foot row-house unit in Surrey and estimated a Step 3 cost premium of about $2,950 per unit, with Lower Step premiums typically coming in under 2% of total construction cost. HAVAN's 2019 modelling of a standard new detached house estimated a larger Step 3 premium of about $15,300. Actual cost on your build will depend on size, climate zone, and design.
What it means for you: A noticeably tighter, more comfortable home. Fewer drafts. More consistent temperatures room to room. Lower heating bills. Your home gets a blower-door test during construction and at completion to verify targets were actually met.
Step 4: High Performance
This is where the building science gets serious. Thicker insulation, triple-pane windows, careful attention to thermal bridging at every framing connection, and an airtightness target of 1.5 ACH50 that demands experienced crews.
Cost premiums for Step 4 are harder to pin down than Step 3 and the research varies widely. BC Housing's 2017 Metrics Research Study estimated roughly $5,500 per unit for the Step 4 row-house model. HAVAN's 2019 modelling of a standard detached house estimated Step 4 at more than $24,000 over base code. VanPlex's 2025 multiplex analysis puts Step 4 at 10–18% of base construction cost for mid-size Part 9 projects. Expect a range, not a single number, and ask your builder to model it for your specific plan.
What it means for you: Heating bills drop substantially. Temperatures stay consistent from room to room and floor to floor. You can stand next to a window in January and not feel cold radiating through the glass.
Step 5: Net-Zero-Energy-Ready
The final destination. Step 5 is the net-zero-energy-ready level. A net-zero-ready home is designed, modelled and built to the same envelope and equipment standard as a true net-zero home but without the solar panels or other renewables installed. The Canadian Home Builders' Association describes CHBA Net Zero and Net Zero Ready homes as being up to 80% more energy efficient than typical new homes. In plain English: a Step 5 home uses significantly less energy for heating and cooling than a code-minimum home — not zero energy, just a lot less — and is built so you could add solar later and run close to net-zero on the power bill.
Typically requires superinsulated wall assemblies, triple-pane windows throughout, heat pumps, HRV or ERV, and an airtightness target of 1.0 ACH50.
BC Housing's 2017 study estimated a Step 5 premium of about $9,400 per unit for the row-house model, while VanPlex's 2025 analysis puts Step 5 at 15–25% of base construction cost on multiplex projects. Larger detached homes and colder climate zones will push to the higher end. Ask for a modelled number for your actual plan, not a rule of thumb.
What it means for you: Heating and cooling loads are dramatically reduced. The home is extremely comfortable and quiet. Resale appeal improves as code keeps tightening. The upfront investment is real, but you are building a home that will not become obsolete as standards keep moving.
These are ranges from published research. Your actual premium depends on home size, design complexity, climate zone, and the specific envelope and mechanical strategy your energy advisor recommends.
The biggest cost risk with Step Code is not the code itself.
It is hiring a builder who does not know how to meet it efficiently. An inexperienced builder might over-specify the wall assembly, use expensive window products where less costly options would hit the target, or fail the blower-door test and have to tear back finishes to find and fix air leaks. The code is manageable. The execution is where it gets expensive or stays affordable.
➤ Want to know how Step Code affects your specific project?
Book a 15-minute qualification call. We have been building to Step 3 in Revelstoke since 2022.
What Happens During Your Build: 3 Checkpoints
CHECKPOINT 1: Before Construction Starts
A Certified Energy Advisor (CEA) creates an energy model of your home. This model predicts energy use intensity and airtightness based on design, materials, and mechanical systems. The model must show your home will meet the required step before your builder breaks ground.
CHECKPOINT 2: During Construction (Mid-Build Blower-Door Test)
The CEA pressurizes the house and measures air leakage. This happens before drywall goes up so problem areas can be fixed while framing and air barrier are still accessible. This test is your insurance policy against paying for a Step 3 home and getting a Step 1 home.
CHECKPOINT 3: After Construction (Final Test)
A final blower-door test confirms the completed home meets the airtightness target. The CEA produces documentation your municipality requires for your occupancy permit.
Energy modelling and testing are typically contracted through a Certified Energy Advisor. Some builders include the cost in their contract price, some list it separately. Ask up front so there are no surprises at permit or occupancy.
Where Revelstoke Stands
Revelstoke adopted Step 3 through Building Bylaw No. 2294, passed July 27, 2021, with Step 3 for Part 9 residential buildings effective January 1, 2022. The rest of BC did not catch up until March 10, 2025.
That three-year-plus head start matters. Any builder who has been working in Revelstoke since 2022 has at least four years of practical experience building to Step 3 in Climate Zone 6, one of BC's more demanding heating climates.
They know what wall assemblies work, which window suppliers deliver on time, and how to hit airtightness targets without blowing the budget. They have made their learning-curve mistakes already.
A builder who has primarily worked in regions that only adopted Step 3 in 2025 is still figuring it out. That is not a criticism. It is a timeline reality. And it matters because Step Code mistakes are expensive.
- Over-insulating the wrong assembly wastes money
- Under-sealing critical junctions fails the blower-door test
- Using the wrong vapour barrier strategy in a cold climate can trap moisture inside wall cavities and cause long-term damage
If you are interviewing builders in Revelstoke, ask when they started building to Step 3. The answer tells you a lot.
The Zero Carbon Step Code (EL-1)
New as of March 10, 2025, all new buildings in BC must also comply with EL-1 of the Zero Carbon Step Code. In practical terms, this means your energy model now has to calculate and disclose the greenhouse gas emissions from your home's energy use.
For most new homes, this changes very little about how the home is actually built. If you are already meeting Step 3 with an electric heat pump (no natural gas furnace), your emissions number will be low. The requirement is about measurement and disclosure, not about hitting a specific emissions target.
That said, it makes energy modelling mandatory for every new home in BC. No more skipping it.
Why This Matters Beyond Checking a Box
It is easy to think of Step Code as another layer of regulation adding cost. That is technically accurate. But the performance benefits are tangible, especially in cold climates:
Building to Step Code in Revelstoke
Revelstoke's Climate Zone 6 designation (between 4,000 and 4,999 heating degree days, per the 2018 BCBC Table 9.36.6.3.-C) means the targets are harder to hit here than in most of BC. The heating load is higher. The temperature differential between inside and outside is more extreme. The building envelope needs to work harder.
Straight Up Construction has been building to Step 3 in Revelstoke since the city's Building Bylaw No. 2294 made it mandatory on January 1, 2022 — roughly four years of hands-on experience in one of BC's more demanding heating climate zones, across custom homes, renovations, and commercial projects.
➤ Have questions about how Step Code affects your build?
We are happy to walk through it with you. Book a 15-minute call.
Step Code FAQs
Does Step Code apply to renovations?
Major renovations that involve changes to the building envelope can trigger Step Code requirements in Revelstoke. The specifics depend on the scope of work. A gut renovation that replaces the entire envelope will generally need to meet current standards. A kitchen remodel will not.
Can I build above the minimum step?
Yes. You can voluntarily build to Step 4 or Step 5 right now. The cost premium is higher, but so are the energy savings, comfort, and long-term positioning. We can model both options and walk you through the cost-benefit for your specific plan.
Do I need to hire my own energy advisor?
You need a Certified Energy Advisor (CEA) for modelling and testing. In our integrated design process, we coordinate the CEA as part of the project. You do not need to find one independently.
What is the difference between Step Code and the Zero Carbon Step Code?
Step Code measures energy efficiency (how much energy your home uses). Zero Carbon Step Code measures greenhouse gas emissions (how much carbon your energy use produces). Both are now required for new construction in BC. For most homes using electric heating, compliance with both is straightforward.
Will building to a higher step help with resale value?
Likely yes. As mandatory standards increase, homes already meeting higher steps remain code-compliant longer and tend to appeal to buyers who are paying attention to energy labels and operating costs. This is directional, not a guaranteed resale premium.
Planning a Build in Revelstoke?
If you want to understand how Step Code affects your specific project, budget, and timeline, we are happy to walk through it with you. We have been building to Step 3 since Revelstoke adopted it on January 1, 2022 and can give you a realistic picture based on your plans.
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