Canada’s National Building Code will include climate change obligations

New durability requirements for new buildings in the works.

Designers will be obligated to create durability plans for new structures under Canada’s National Building Code.

The changes, expected in 2020, are a response to expected harsher weather events resulting from climate change. Building durability plans will have to be based on the life of the building, the life of the envelope components of the building and the elements that are part of those components.

Building code changes will come in two stages. First, designers will be informed about creating durability plans.

How climate change in future years will alter stresses on structures is still unknown. So, some aspects of the code are dependent upon obtaining better data about how climate change will impact building loads.

4 January 2019