Climate Ready Homes and Buildings

Thank you to everyone who participated in our Climate Ready Homes and Buildings engagement, which has now concluded. City staff presented a report with the public engagement summary and recommendations for Council endorsement at the September 20, 2022 Special Council Meeting (Item 7.6).

• Read the Council Report.
• Read the Climate Ready Homes and Buildings Plan (PDF). A summary of public engagement is included in appendices E and F.

We’re developing a plan that will outline specific actions the City, residents, and business owners can take to make homes and buildings in Port Moody climate ready. What is “climate ready”? A climate ready home or building is one that has been designed or modified to:

• meet low carbon and high energy-efficiency standards; and
• manage many of the risks related to climate change such as heat-related illness, poor indoor air quality, or damage from flooding or windstorms.

Please note that definitions for words in bold type can be found in our list of key terms.

Why are we developing a climate ready homes and buildings plan?

City Council has declared a climate emergency and we are in the process of implementing the City’s Climate Action Plan. The Climate Action Plan outlines a path that could see Port Moody reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by more than 40 per cent (when compared to 2007 levels) by the year 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. The City’s goals include reaching specific targets related to buildings:

• by 2030, all new and replacement heating and hot water systems are zero emissions
• by 2030, all oil and propane heating and hot water systems have been replaced with zero-emissions systems
• by 2050, heating and hot water systems have been replaced with zero-emissions systems in all buildings

We are committed to taking bold action because the future of our community and our planet depends on it. But to make a difference, we need everyone to get involved – builders, homeowners, property managers, business owners, and more. That’s because homes and buildings are responsible for a significant proportion (46 per cent in 2016) of GHG emissions in Port Moody. Reducing these emissions can have a big impact, whether we’re talking about smaller structures like single-family homes and small businesses or larger ones like multi-family dwellings and industrial buildings.

The majority of GHG emissions produced by homes and buildings come from fossil-fuel-powered heating, cooling, and hot water systems. The key to reducing emissions is to build or renovate structures so they meet high energy-efficiency and low carbon standards. We also need our homes and buildings to last, which means they need to be able to withstand the effects of climate change such as extreme rainfall events, extreme heat, drought, wildfire, poor air quality, and sea level rise. How can we as a community achieve these goals? Our plan will help us take collective action to improve our homes and buildings, so that we can build a better future for everyone who chooses to live or work in Port Moody.

How can you get involved?

Thank you for your interest – our community survey has now concluded. In November/December 2021 we asked residents and business owners/operators to share their thoughts on making homes and buildings climate ready. The input we received will inform the development of our community-wide plan.

Find out more

Click on the Background tab below to take a look at our resources. Learn more about:

• sources of greenhouse gas emissions in Port Moody
• why it's important to make homes and buildings climate ready
• ways to make your home or workspace climate ready