As of March 22, 2021, the Quebec Construction Code, Chapter I.1 – Energy Efficiency of Buildings, and National Energy Code of Canada for Buildings 2015 (amended) will be available to Quebec’s provincial code users. This new document is published by the National Research Council of Canada on behalf of the Régie du bâtiment du Québec.

Energy-efficient design and construction

The document sets out technical requirements for the energy-efficient design and construction of new buildings, additions, and public swimming pools in Quebec. These requirements are expected to improve the overall energy performance of buildings by 27.9%, on average, relative to the existing energy efficiency requirements in effect in Quebec since 1983.

Some of the most significant changes contributing to this improvement relate to:

• the thermal characteristics of building assemblies in contact with the ground or the exterior
• the thermal characteristics of windows, glazed and unglazed doors, and skylights
• the continuity of insulation and the reduction of thermal bridging
• interior and exterior lighting power allowances and lighting controls
• heat recovery from heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems, including refrigeration equipment, commercial kitchen hoods, and HVAC systems for swimming pools
• the thermal insulation of ducts and piping

In addition, for greater flexibility, the document offers 3 compliance paths to choose from to achieve the performance level of the new requirements: the prescriptive path, the trade-off path and the performance path.

Reader-friendly format

The document contains both new Chapter I.1, Energy Efficiency of Buildings, of the Quebec Construction Code and an amended National Energy Code of Canada for Buildings 2015 clearly indicating the changes adopted by the province of Quebec. With its reader-friendly format, this document is an indispensable tool for building designers, energy consultants and subcontractors, construction professionals, and regulatory officials in Quebec.

Available now

Quebec Construction Code, Chapter I.1 – Energy Efficiency of Buildings, and National Energy Code of Canada for Buildings 2015 (amended) is available now in print and free electronic formats through the NRC Virtual Store.