Whistler is preparing to usher in a revised set of sustainability guidelines for new construction in the resort.
On Tuesday, Jan. 25, Whistler’s mayor and council gave Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) staff the go-ahead to begin the process of updating the resort’s existing Green Building Policy, beginning with stakeholder and community engagement.
“Since the Green Building Policy was adopted in 2008, green building and sustainable design practice technologies and standards have evolved,” explained planner Louis-Félix Tremblay-Renaud during a presentation to council at the Jan. 25 meeting.
That means Whistler’s current policy no longer aligns with the times—or with the resort’s own climate targets.
The existing Green Building Policy was based on a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) framework, and covers six broad objectives: site and landscape; energy; water; materials; waste; and indoor environment.
In the approximately 14 years since Whistler’s original Green Building Policy was established, the RMOW has adopted a Community Energy and Climate Action Plan (CECAP), a new Official Community Plan (OCP) in 2020, and the 2020 Climate Action Big Moves Strategy.
“The Green Building Policy needs to be updated to reflect these new goals and targets,” said Tremblay-Renaud. “In other words, we are evolving from the current Green Building Policy because it is out of date in regards to many aspects, it’s not a clear process for applicants and staff on how to use it, and it’s very cumbersome and not used to its best potential.”
Under the current system, different checklists exist for different types of buildings, and people applying for permits can choose their own approach when describing how their project meets the Green Building Policy’s objectives. The checklists are mandatory for rezoning applications, and used as reference for development and building permit applications—meaning RMOW staff is currently tasked with analyzing a wide range of responses from project teams.
The intended outcome of a modernized Green Building Policy, said RMOW planning manager John Chapman, is a more efficient process.
“Something that’s easier for applicants to use and that is more straightforward for staff to administer,” he said. “We’re not looking at introducing a new step in a rezoning process that didn’t exist, but we’re actually looking just to update and improve and refine the existing Green Building Policy.”
Since 2008, the province has also utilized a new approach to energy efficiency in buildings with the BC Energy Step Code (an optional compliance path that local governments can use to ensure new construction meets a level of energy efficiency that exceeds the requirements set by the BC Building Code.)
The RMOW amended its building and plumbing bylaw in 2018, instituting Step 3 of the Step Code for all Part 9 residential buildings.
But some in the community—including Edgar Dearden of sustainable building company GNAR Inc.—have criticized the RMOW for not moving faster on energy efficiency as of late.
In Dearden’s opinion, the answer to reversing Whistler’s increasing emissions lies in “removing the fossil heating systems, [and] achieving Step 5 or passive house, all-electric buildings,” he said at the Oct. 5 council meeting.
Dearden has been a fixture at municipal council meetings ever since, asking questions and pressuring the RMOW to act.
Through its Green Building Policy update, the RMOW intends to map out the best way forward in terms of full Step Code implementation.
With the introduction of its Step Code bylaw in 2018, the RMOW’s existing Green Building Policy is out of date, as emissions from new buildings are now tied to guidelines in the building bylaw rather than the policy itself.
“The rationale and the policy intent behind what we’re doing is really to encourage an integrated design approach,” explained Tremblay-Renaud. “The goal is to induce a holistic and integrated approach for new project development in Whistler.”
Because Whistler’s OCP, Big Moves Strategy and CECAP all set specific climate goals, Whistler’s updated Green Building Policy should be based on the same priorities.
To ensure the policy’s requirements fall in line with the targeted goals set out in these already-adopted initiatives, RMOW staff suggested replacing the six broad objectives that comprise the existing Green Building Policy with six new sections, each containing performance guidelines, requirements and resources: building energy and emissions; material intensity; sustainable site design; green mobility; water conservation and rainwater management; and solid waste.
The green mobility section, for example, could strive to introduce requirements for electric vehicle charging infrastructure, while the building energy and emissions section could cover things like interior lighting and passive design strategies.
An updated policy would also consolidate the varying checklists into one standardized list that covers all building types.
“The proposed sections were also benchmarked against what other municipalities have in place,” said Tremblay-Renaud, adding, “this proposed approach will ensure not only that the RMOW is advancing its sustainability goals, but also that the requirements for developers are streamlined, clear and focused on current priorities.”
With Whistler councillors on board, the next step is engagement with industry stakeholders and the community to explore the feasibility of an updated policy before it can be adopted.
RMOW staff plan to accomplish this through a combination of industry workshops, in-person meetings with stakeholders and consultations with relevant non-profit organizations, as well as by sharing information and seeking feedback through the RMOW’s website and social media channels. Public engagement will take place throughout February.
Whistler Mayor Jack Crompton told planners he’s eagerly anticipating “seeing [the final policy] return with opportunities to make the process more efficient; to see projects get to where we want them to be, quicker. I look forward to the innovative ways that can happen.”
Staff will bring the results of their public engagement efforts back to council later this spring, along with the final Green Building Policy for consideration and approval.
