Better Buildings BC | Net-Zero Energy-Ready Challenge

This incentive program and juried competition incentivizes and supports high-rise residential, office, retail, commercial, institutional, and other large complex building projects designed to meet a net-zero energy-ready level of performance. Buildings designed to achieve the top step of the BC Energy Step Code, the highest step of the City of Vancouver’s Zero Emissions Building Plan, and Passive House certification are all eligible to apply.

The Net-Zero Energy-Ready Challenge program offers two separate incentives. Design Incentives of up to $40,000 are available to assist design teams in offsetting any costs that may be incurred by any additional design necessary to target net-zero energy-ready. Participants who received a Design Incentive were then invited to submit a full Program Application and be eligible to receive a Net-Zero Energy-Ready Construction Incentive of up to $350,000.

A technical review panel and a final selection committee evaluated applications in the areas of energy and emissions performance, cost competitiveness, replicability, social and environmental performance, and overall design. Successful applicants are required to share building energy performance data for use in case studies to boost overall industry capacity, which will be released in 2024/25.

Introba administers The Net-Zero Energy-Ready Challenge program, while the BC Ministry of Mines, Energy, and Petroleum Resources provides funding and program oversight.