Climate Friendly Homes Tour

Richmond

DATE TO BE ANNOUNCED SOON: SPRING 2025

Visit Climate Friendly Homes in Richmond to see firsthand what people are doing to make their homes more comfortable and climate friendly.

What is a Climate Friendly Home? A Climate Friendly Home is built to meet the high standards of the Energy and Zero Carbon Step Codes or retrofitted to significantly reduce energy consumption and GHG emissions. These homes do not rely on fossil fuel equipment as the primary system for space heating, cooling, and domestic hot water. Additionally, they feature improved building envelopes, and windows. A Climate Friendly Home can also have lots of other useful features that make the home more sustainable, comfortable to live in, cheaper to operate, and more!

Check out homes in Richmond and see which homes you would like to visit on the tour.

You can preview each home and learn about the measures that have been implemented to make the home climate-friendly by browsing the map and selecting each home.

Once you have found the places you would like to view, you can plan a route for your tour. Neighbourhood parking may be limited so it is encouraged that you get there by taking more sustainable modes of transport like walking, cycling, or public transit.

When you visit each home, please remember to ask the homeowner questions about their experience getting their upgrades and how they are working for them. Local energy experts may be in attendance at select locations to answer more technical questions.

Climate Action in the City of Richmond

Below are some of the support programs and resources available in the City of Richmond, that support energy efficient buildings:

  • Richmond Community Energy and Emissions Plan (CEEP 2050): Richmond’s existing buildings account for approximately 40% of the community's total emissions. The Richmond Community Energy and Emissions Plan (CEEP 2050) outlines multiple actions across eight strategic directions that will collectively set Richmond on a path to achieve a 50% reduction in community GHG emissions by 2030 and reach net zero emissions by 2050.
  • Floor Area Ratio Exemptions are available for new high-efficiency homes that meet Energy Step Code levels 4 and 5 or are a Certified Passive House.
  • Regular Builders’ Breakfast, which provides updates on new regulations, policies, best practices, and emerging technologies to builders, developers, and contractors.
  • Subsidized Training for Contractors: The City offers subsidized training opportunities to contractors, in partnership with BCIT, to build capacity in high-performance building. The available micro-credential courses include:
    1. Essentials of Net-Zero and Passive House Construction
    2. Supervising Net-Zero and Passive House Construction

What Makes a Home Climate Friendly?

A Climate Friendly Home:

  • Uses a heat pump for heating in the winter and cooling in the summer 
  • Efficient electric hot water tank or heat pump hot water heater
  • Well insulated/draft free
  • Energy efficient appliances such as induction stoves
  • Has no appliances or systems that burn fossil fuels, such as natural gas, propane or oil
  • Is generating its own renewable energy using renewable energy technologies.
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Where to Start

Regardless of where you are in your home retrofit journey, there are plenty of free support programs and available incentives to help you take the next step to reduce emissions and increase energy efficiency.