Step Code Compliance Support for BC Builders

BC Energy Step Code compliance is not a line item. It is a planning exercise that starts at schematic design and does not end until your final blower door test passes. Builders who treat Step Code as a check-the-box moment at permit stage find themselves chasing problems in the field. Okanagan AeroBarrier Inc. helps builders across the Interior plan, execute, and verify Step Code compliance so the blower door test at the end is a formality instead of a crisis.

We work alongside your energy advisor, your trades, and your municipal building department to identify compliance risks early and close them before they cost you time or money. Our compliance support combines on-site air sealing expertise with 13+ years of BC residential construction experience.

What We Help Builders With

Step Code support is not consulting in the traditional sense. It is a working partnership during active construction. The builders we help most often need one or more of the following:

• Air barrier strategy review before framing starts, so the approach is documented and tradesmen know what is expected
• Pre-drywall site walks to identify air leakage risks before they are covered up
• Pre-drywall blower door testing to verify airtightness while remediation is still cheap
• AeroBarrier air sealing as an insurance layer on every home to reach target ACH50 consistently
• Coordination with your energy advisor to align field execution with the HOT2000 model
• Post-fail rescue when a final blower door test fails and occupancy is at risk

We do not take over your project. We give you the air sealing piece dialed in so the rest of your Step Code workflow runs smoothly.

The Three Step Code Levels You Need to Understand

BC builders working under Part 9 residential construction today are navigating three Step Code tiers. Each has different requirements, rebate implications, and construction strategies.

Step Code 3 - Current Provincial Minimum

As of 2025, Step Code 3 is the mandatory minimum for all new Part 9 residential construction in most BC municipalities. The airtightness target is 2.5 ACH50. Meeting Step 3 is not a choice, and failure to meet it blocks your occupancy permit. See the ACH targets page for a full breakdown.

Step Code 4 - Expected Provincial Minimum 2027

Step Code 4 is scheduled to become the provincial minimum in 2027. The airtightness target tightens to 1.5 ACH50, and the overall energy performance requirement becomes significantly more demanding. Builders who start practicing at Step 4 now have two years to learn the details before it becomes mandatory. FortisBC rebates of up to $15,000 per unit currently reward builders who voluntarily build above code.

Step Code 5 - Net-Zero Ready

Step Code 5 is the highest tier, with a 1.0 ACH50 airtightness target and near-net-zero energy performance. It is voluntary today. FortisBC rebates of up to $20,000 apply.

Planning Your Compliance Strategy

Successful Step Code compliance starts well before breaking ground. The sooner you involve us, the more effective our support can be. A typical compliance engagement includes:

1. Schematic design review - identify potential air barrier challenges in the geometry before construction drawings lock the plan
2. Target setting - decide whether to build to minimum code or push above for FortisBC rebates using our rebate calculator
3. Air barrier strategy document - who applies what, where, and when during framing through drywall
4. Trade education - walking the framers, electricians, plumbers, and HVAC installers through how their work affects airtightness
5. Pre-drywall verification - site walk plus blower door test at rough-in stage
6. AeroBarrier application if needed to close the gap to target ACH50
7. Final test prep - ensuring the home is ready for the energy advisor's final test

See our Step Code checklist for the phase-by-phase details.

Coordinating With Your Energy Advisor

Your energy advisor is responsible for the HOT2000 compliance report, the design-stage energy model, and the final blower door test. We do not replace that role. We are the field partner who makes sure the real-world build matches the model.

Most air barrier failures come from a disconnect between what the energy advisor specified and what actually happened during framing. The model assumes certain details. The field executes something different. The blower door test catches the gap. Our job is to close that gap before the test.

We communicate directly with your energy advisor throughout the project. Test results, air sealing scope, and any changes to the plan get shared in real time.

Common Step Code Pitfalls We Help Builders Avoid

Across 100+ residential projects in the Okanagan, the same failure patterns show up repeatedly:

• Missed penetration sealing at plumbing and electrical runs
• Gaps at the sill plate to foundation transition
• Unsealed rim joists on two-storey homes
• Attic access hatches that nobody remembers to detail
• Window and door rough openings with incomplete flashing tape coverage
• Transitions between wall assemblies where different trades hand off

These are the failure points that push a home from 1.5 ACH50 to 3.5 ACH50. Getting them right is not magic - it just requires attention and verification.

Where We Work

We provide Step Code compliance support across the BC Interior including Kelowna, West Kelowna, Vernon, Kamloops, Penticton, Lake Country, Salmon Arm, Merritt, and surrounding communities.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need compliance support if I already have an energy advisor?

Energy advisors handle the modeling and the final verification test. They are not usually on site during framing when air barrier decisions happen. Our role is filling the gap between the model and the field - making sure what you build matches what the model assumed.

When should I engage a compliance support partner?

Earlier is better. Ideally before framing starts, so the air barrier strategy is documented and trades know what to expect. We can also help later in the project, including after a failed blower door test, but earlier engagement costs less and causes less disruption.

Can you help me decide whether to build to Step 3 or Step 4?

Yes. We run the numbers using our rebate calculator and compare the incremental construction cost against the FortisBC rebate. In most cases, Step 4 pays for itself and then some. See our cost of compliance guide for a deeper dive.

What if my blower door test has already failed?

We specialize in rescue situations. AeroBarrier can often save a failed test by sealing leaks that are hidden behind finished drywall, which traditional methods cannot reach without demolition. Call us at 250-864-8727 as soon as you get the failed test results - time is usually of the essence.

Do you work with tract builders on repeated plans?

Yes. Repeated plans are actually ideal because the compliance strategy we develop for one home carries forward to the rest of the subdivision. Volume work gets more efficient with each seal.