VANCOUVER – Vancouver City Council has approved updates to efficiency standards for replacement water heaters in order to cut emissions.
Effective Feb. 28, 2025, major home renovations exceeding $150,000 will be required to install higher efficiency water heaters. Starting Jan. 1, 2027, all replacement water heaters in detached homes and duplexes must also meet the highest efficiency standards, a release said.
“As modern, cleaner technologies become available, it makes sense to upgrade our home appliances. This new update to Vancouver’s building code is a step in the right direction. It won’t add costs for residents, streamlines existing renovation requirements and makes it simpler to get a permit, while helping to cut our emissions,” Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim said in a statement.
The new highest efficiency requirements allow for a range of equipment including gas heat pumps, hybrid heat pumps, electric heat pumps, and electric resistance water heaters.
The new requirement for highest efficiency water heating for renovations over $150,000 replaces the previous requirement for an EnerGuide audit along with potential building envelope improvements, the release said.
A series of exceptions will support households that have space or electrical capacity constraints.
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