Building to net-zero Database
Building to Net-Zero (BNZ) Database
A resource hub supporting local governments across Canada on the path toward a net-zero building sector.
The BNZ Database is a publicly available resource hub designed to help local governments across Canada work toward a net-zero building sector. The database is a living document that will evolve over time, so we invite you to share initiatives from your municipality to help it grow. The BNZ database provides local governments with examples of local government-led initiatives and guides to support their development, as well as data, programs, and tools that may be useful for municipal planning and action.
The following tables provide local governments with resources to support initiatives that may be implemented locally. They include real-world examples of local government-led initiatives and guides to support their development. The types of initiatives are divided into nine categories:
We welcome your input!
To continue expanding our database, we welcome additional examples and guides. If your community has an initiative you wish to share, please let us know.
1. Benchmarking, Reporting, and Disclosure
Initiatives in this category create frameworks that require or encourage buildings to measure, report, and disclose their energy usage, efficiency and/or emissions. The goal is to improve energy performance through increased transparency and accountability.
2. Community Ownership Models
Initiatives in this category focus on collective and community-based models of ownership that enable communities to develop, own, and manage local energy resources. They aim to improve building energy performance by expanding access to renewable energy, while also delivering co-benefits such as affordable power, local economic regeneration, and stronger community engagement in energy efficiency.
3. Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
Initiatives in this category address equity-related challenges that may arise alongside green energy transitions. Initiatives may address issues such as reducing energy poverty, preventing renovictions, and ensuring inclusive community involvement.
4. Education and Training
Initiatives in this category deliver education and training programs to strengthen the workforce and improve energy literacy among residents and businesses. These programs may also address intersecting community goals, such as education for underserved communities and youth empowerment.
5. Incentives for Existing Buildings
Initiatives in this category offer financing and incentive programs to encourage home and building owners to adopt energy efficiency measures. These programs can reduce key barriers associated with upfront costs and lengthy project payback periods, and improve the business case for energy-efficiency measures.
6. Incentives for New Buildings
Initiatives in this category offer financing and incentive programs to encourage builders and developers to include sustainable design practices in new buildings. These programs can reduce key barriers associated with upfront costs and lengthy project payback periods, and improve the business case for sustainable and net-zero buildings.
7. Restrictions on Fossil Fuels in Buildings
Initiatives in this category establish bylaws that ban or limit fossil fuel usage, such as natural gas, in new and/or existing buildings. In some cases, these initiatives may anticipate building energy code changes at the provincial level (e.g., the Zero Carbon Step Code in British Columbia). These initiatives are important because although the reduction of energy consumption is crucial for improved building energy performance, the building sector will only reach net-zero if reliance on fossil fuels is greatly reduced.
8. Building Performance Standards (Existing Buildings)
Initiatives in this category establish standards and guidelines that encourage energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction in existing buildings. By setting clear performance targets, they help lower operating costs, support climate goals, and improve community resilience.
9. Green Development Guidelines (New Buildings)
Initiatives in this category set guidelines or standards that encourage sustainable design in new buildings. This includes three types:
- Tiered: Encourages developers to meet certain minimum standards and offers incentives to exceed them
- Prescriptive-based: Developers choose from a predefined list of sustainable practices or features, often accumulating points or meeting minimum items.
- Performance-based: Focuses on achieving measurable outcomes rather than accomplishing specific actions.
These are typically introduced as municipal bylaws and may encourage developers to exceed the current provincial code. Depending on jurisdictional authority, they may go beyond building energy codes to also address other environmental, social, and public health issues.
About the BNZ Project
BNZ is a four-year training and capacity-building project designed to support municipalities in the adoption of building energy performance frameworks. Through the BNZ project, municipalities, community partners, and industry experts are working collaboratively to identify and overcome municipalities’ unique adoption challenges, outlining a clear pathway towards net-zero building energy.
This database is part of ICLEI Canada’s BNZ project, which is funded by Natural Resources Canada’s Code Acceleration Fund.
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