{"id":9821,"date":"2025-10-31T07:54:39","date_gmt":"2025-10-31T12:54:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/informatech.energir.com\/?p=9821"},"modified":"2025-10-31T08:18:27","modified_gmt":"2025-10-31T13:18:27","slug":"norme-bcz-design-v4-comment-la-bienergie-soutient-lexcellence-en-matiere-de-durabilite-des-batiments-au-quebec","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/informatech.energir.com\/?p=9821&lang=en","title":{"rendered":"ZCB-Design Standard v4: How Dual Energy Supports Excellence in Sustainable Building in Quebec"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n\t

Last June, the Canada Green Building Council (CAGBC) revised its eligibility rules for the Zero Carbon Building – Design Standard v4 (ZCB-Design v4) to allow the use of dual-energy heating systems in buildings seeking this certification. In this article, we explain why this decision was made and how it benefits Énergir customers who are working toward decarbonization.<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
\n
\n\t

Why is ZCB-Design v4 a leading standard for sustainable buildings?<\/h3>\n

Against the backdrop of the energy transition and Canada’s commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, ZCB-Design v4<\/a> certification has become a leading standard for building industry stakeholders, as it “helps ensure projects are designed to optimize reductions in both operational and embodied carbon.”1<\/sup> In fact, several studies show that ultra-low-emission buildings can be more profitable over the long term than higher-emission ones, as demonstrated in particular by the report Making the Case for Zero Carbon Buildings<\/a> and the action-research project Générations 1,5 °C<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>

\n
\n\t

Dual energy can play a key role in Quebec’s decarbonization efforts<\/h3>\n

The ZCB-Design v4 certification focuses in particular on reducing operational carbon emissions—those generated by building operations and, in turn, their heating systems. This is where dual energy comes in. Dual-energy systems use electricity to meet about 70% of heating needs and switch to natural gas when the outside temperature reaches –12 °C (or –15 °C in some regions), ensuring the right energy is used at the right time and preventing overloads on the power grid during peak demand.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>

\n
\n\t

A change that changes everything<\/h3>\n

Until recently, ZCB-Design v4 certification was limited to buildings that did not use combustion heating systems at temperatures above
\n–15 °C (even when participants used RNG2<\/sup>). This restriction ruled out the use of dual energy systems in much of Quebec. However, following an amendment request submitted by Énergir, the CAGBC revised its requirements to make buildings enrolled in the dual-energy program eligible for ZCB-Design v4 certification in regions where the switch from electricity to natural gas—accompanied by the purchase of RNG—occurs at –12 °C.<\/p>\n

The CAGBC’s decision is based in particular on the fact that:<\/p>\n