British Columbia Considers Carbon-Neutral Construction By 2020

"The proposal is tucked inside the report from the B.C. Climate Action Team released last week, a document that the government commissioned but is not obliged to accept. But the move to carbon-neutral housing would cause a revolution in how housing stock will be built. In its purest form, it would see housing constructed with built-in power supplies - either solar panels, wind turbines or geothermal sources."

"New designs that limit energy requirements, such as shaded windows, and energy-efficient appliances are part of the equation. The proposal to the province also urges the government to build some flexibility into the carbon-neutral requirement by allowing communities to build green energy sources to power individual residences."

"The official estimates that building a carbon-neutral house will cost anywhere from 5 per cent to 20 per cent more than conventional models. With the average house price in Greater Vancouver hovering around $556,000, the added expense could top $100,000."