MISSISSAUGA, Ontario — According to the Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada (HRAI), the National Energy Code for Buildings (NECB), which is scheduled to be published on Nov. 18, 2011, will yield significant savings in energy costs of typical buildings.

This edition will require buildings to be 25 percent more energy efficient than the current NECB (1997) and fulfills the energy code performance target expressed by federal, provincial, and territorial government leaders.

The technical requirements of the NECB also accommodate the many new technologies and construction practices that have emerged in Canada over the past 15 years. The new code contains close to 245 technical changes to address a host of issues such as: the building envelope; HVAC; lighting; service water heating; electrical power systems and motors; and building energy performance compliance.

The NECB is an objective-based code and also offers compliance flexibility, meaning that engineers, architects, and designers can follow multiple paths to ensure that their proposed building designs are compliant. Performance ratings for two of the compliance paths can be demonstrated through the use of special software that will soon be available on the Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) website.

The new code will be available in print and electronically via online subscriptions or as a downloadable PDF document. Free online presentations explaining the major changes in the NECB are scheduled to be made available on the National Codes website in December 2011.

Publication date: 11/14/2011