Source: CBC News January 30, 2022
The City of Vancouver and The Province of Quebec recently banned certain kinds of fossil fuel-based heating in new home construction. Bans are happening around the world, from Norway to New York City. The goal is to cut CO2 emissions from buildings by replacing fossil fuel burning with electric heating.
- In Vancouver: Starting Jan. 1, 2022, equipment for space and hot water heating in new low-rise residential buildings must be zero emissions. By 2025, all new and replacement heating and hot water systems must be zero emissions.
- In Quebec: Starting Dec. 31, 2021, oil-powered heating has been banned in new construction projects. After Dec. 31, 2023, it will be illegal to replace existing furnaces with any sort of heating system powered by fossil fuels.
In 2019, buildings were the third largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Canada.
Space and water heating represent about 85 per cent of residential greenhouse gas emissions and 68 per cent of commercial emissions.
What is replacing fossil fuel heating?
In most cases, fossil fuel combustion is being replaced with electric heating. There has been a big push to choose more efficient heat pumps. The Canadian Institute for Climate Choices report found that to drive deeper emissions cuts, the switch to heat pumps “would play an essential and growing role.”
