Dear Editor,
I'd like to thank Courtenay Mayor and Council for their leadership last week in adopting the zero carbon step code which will mean new homes built in Courtenay will be built to standards that protect us from high energy costs and our health. Courtenay now joins 32 jurisdictions in B.C. implementing the zero carbon step code and over 140 jurisdictions in North America (covering the equivalent of 85 million people) restricting gas use for health, economic and environmental reasons.
The climate consequences of leaking methane which has a heating effect that's 80 times greater than carbon dioxide is increasingly being understood and terrifying. On the cost of gas, as Premiere Eby announced another $200 million handout to the LNG industry, an analysis by Deloitte expects B.C.'s LNG export to increase gas bills by 60 per cent. Other jurisdictions are finding the high costs of replacing aging gas pipes are pushing up gas rates with regulators including B.C. no longer accepting outdated assumptions for cost recovery. Last week the International Court of Justice ruled that the government must take appropriate action to protect the climate system or be held financially liable - something Premier Eby and Prime Minister Carney need to take seriously as they tout fossil fuel expansion projects.
As a community that is now experiencing the poor air quality as a result of the wildfire smoke and climate anxiety from shattering heat and drought records, all levels of government, businesses and individuals need to do what they can to avert further climate chaos that is already affecting us personally at unacceptable levels.
Efficient homes with air filtration protect people from wildfire smoke while improving comfort and reducing energy needs. Meanwhile, the evidence is mounting of the massive health risks of exposing ourselves to methane, benzene, NOx and PM2.5 as a result of burning "natural" gas in our homes.
Most existing homes unfortunately do not provide such protection (even those million dollar ones) which is the tragedy of real estate development -- housing costs now are a lot more than the cost to build then. The relatively minor incremental costs of efficiency have lasting benefits that are passed down to multiple owners, far longer than most costly home decor decisions that are quickly outdated.
The zero carbon step code saves the higher cost most of us face to retrofit a home to lower air leaks, add insulation, upgrade electrical panels, and replace gas furnaces, water heaters and ranges with heat pumps, electric fireplaces, and induction ranges that are safer and two to three times more efficient.
Courtenay's council's bold action is future-proofing new homes. This leadership should be recognized and inspire us to develop our own plan to transition our home away from fossil fuels.
Rob Stupka, P.Eng.
Courtenay
