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117-435: The BC Energy Step Code consists of a series of specific measurable efficiency targets, and groups them into "steps" that represent increasing levels of energy-efficiency performance. By gradually adopting one or more steps, a local government can increase the building performance requirements in its community. The regulation is designed as a technical roadmap to help the province reach its target that all new buildings will attain

234-514: A net zero energy ready level of performance by 2032. The Government of British Columbia enacted the BC Energy Step Code as regulation on April 6, 2017. It entered into legal force on December 15, 2017. The BC Energy Step Code establishes a series of measurable energy-efficiency requirements that builders must meet in communities that reference it in their building and development bylaws. The regulation groups these performance targets into

351-591: A "decent pledge". The UN Race to Zero campaign calls them "starting line criteria". This states that they must have a "plan and published evidence of action taken towards reaching the target" besides a stated pledge. One of the main reasons for the low credibility of many net zero claims is their heavy reliance on carbon credits. Carbon credits are often used for offsetting. They reduce or remove emissions of carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases in order to compensate for emissions made elsewhere. Many fossil fuel companies have made commitments to be net zero by 2050. At

468-617: A 2007 report from the Transnational Institute , Kevin Smith likened carbon offsets to medieval indulgences. He said they allowed people to pay "offset companies to absolve them of their carbon sins." He said this permits a "business as usual" attitude that stifles required major changes. Many people have criticized offsets for playing a part in greenwashing . This argument appeared in a 2021 watchdog ruling against Shell . Loose regulation of claims by carbon offsetting schemes combined with

585-427: A U.S. nonprofit organization advocating for improved energy performance in commercial buildings, describes a stretch code as "a locally mandated or incentivized code or alternative compliance path that is more ambitious than the base code, resulting in buildings that achieve higher energy savings." The institute says the codes provide an opportunity to train building and development communities in advanced practices before

702-646: A base year to measure emissions reductions against. This should be representative of their typical greenhouse gas profile. They should explain the choice of baseline and how they will account for changes in conditions since the baseline. Financial organizations should also include emissions within their portfolio . This should include all organizations they have financed, invested in, or insured. Countries and regions should include both territorial emissions released within their boundaries and consumption emissions related to products and services imported and consumed within their boundaries. Cities and countries pose

819-412: A baseline or status quo. But they do not remove emissions from the atmosphere. Weak standards such as ISO and BSI "carbon neutrality" standards allow organizations to use avoided-emissions carbon credits. They do not specify how permanent or durable a credit must be. Carbon offsetting has been criticized on several fronts. One important concern is that offsets may delay active emissions reductions. In

936-558: A building's energy performance via a variety of metrics. The Building Envelope Metrics and the Equipment and Systems Metrics are demonstrated through a whole- building performance simulation , while the Airtightness Metric is demonstrated through an on-site blower door test of the building before occupancy. To meet the requirements of the BC Energy Step Code, builders will work with an energy advisor to check that their plans will meet

1053-458: A challenge when it comes to calculating emissions. This is because the production of products and services within their boundaries might be linked to either internal consumption or exports. At the same time the population also consumes imported products and services. So it is important to state explicitly whether emissions are counted at the location of production or consumption. This helps to prevent double counting. The lengthy manufacturing chains of

1170-511: A city) became a bedroom community, absorbing commuters who worked in Burnaby or Vancouver. In the 1980s and 1990s, the city witnessed unprecedented growth, as people from different parts of Canada and the world, particularly Asia, began to make the municipality their home. In 2013, it was projected to surpass the city of Vancouver as the most populous city in BC within the following 10 to 12 years. The city

1287-430: A clear sense of where the province is heading on energy efficiency, while giving builders a welcome level of consistency via standardized performance metrics. If a given community's new homes are likely to be heated with natural gas, the BC Energy Step Code will reduce the amount of that fuel they need to burn to stay comfortable. A well-insulated and well-sealed Step 3 home heated with natural gas will consume much less of

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1404-652: A commitment to reach net-zero emissions by the year 2050. These promises are often made at the corporate level. Both governments and international agencies encourage businesses to contribute to a national, or international, net zero pledge. The International Energy Agency says that global investment in low carbon substitutes for fossil fuels needs to reach US$ 4 trillion annually by 2030 for the world to get to net zero by 2050. Some analyses have raised concerns that net zero cannot be achieved worldwide by 2050. On average, approximately 29% of companies in EU member states have formulated

1521-718: A gas bar at the bend in King George Blvd, (formerly King George Highway) at 108 Avenue, "Whalley's Corner") was used as a burial ground by the Kwantlen (or Qw'ontl'en) Nation. Settlers arrived first in Cloverdale and parts of South Surrey, mostly to farm, fish, harvest oysters, or set up small stores. Once the Pattullo Bridge was erected in 1937, the way was open for Surrey to expand. In the post-war 1950s, North Surrey's neighbourhoods filled with single-family homes and Surrey (not yet

1638-529: A globalised market might make this challenging. There are additional challenges with looking at renewable energy systems and electric vehicle batteries. This is because the necessary embodied energy and other effects of raw material extraction are often significant when measuring life-cycle emissions. However the local emissions at the place they are used may be small. Leading standards and guidance allow official accreditation bodies to certify products as carbon neutral but not as net zero. The rationale behind this

1755-542: A highly anticipated incubator that will potentially act as a base to jump-start ideas into various start-up companies from local innovators, inventors, investors and entrepreneurs. Surrey is governed by the elected Surrey City Council comprising a mayor and eight councillors. As of the October 15, 2022, election , the mayor is Brenda Locke and city councillors are Linda Annis, Harry Bains, Mike Bose, Doug Elford, Gordon Hepner, Pardeep Kooner, Mandeep Nagra, and Rob Stutt. In

1872-479: A home built to the requirements of the BC Building Code . The construction cost premiums associated with meeting the requirements of Step 1 amounts to just a small fraction of a percent, the report states. In exchange, owners, occupants, and others would enjoy the benefits detailed in the "Benefits of adoption" section below. In an effort to illustrate how the BC Energy Step Code would impact construction costs in

1989-543: A lack of binding regulation. It is also due to the need for continued innovation and investment to make decarbonization possible. To date, 27 countries have enacted domestic net zero legislation. These are laws that legislatures have passed that contain net zero targets or equivalent. There is currently no national regulation in place that legally requires companies based in that country to achieve net zero. Several countries, for example Switzerland, are developing such legislation. The idea of net zero came out of research in

2106-653: A local team to compete for a spot in the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania . Surrey is also home to Canada's first kabaddi -specific stadium. Although not considered a sport, the globally acclaimed dance company known as "Brotherhood" won gold trophies at the World Hip Hop Dance Championships in 2013 and 2014 for the varsity and adult divisions. The affiliated dance production team known as "PraiseTEAM" had taken home

2223-642: A need to protect business as usual, not the climate. If we want to keep people safe then large and sustained cuts to carbon emissions need to happen now. [...] The time for wishful thinking is over." In his 2021 report, Dangerous Distractions, economist Marc Lee said that net zero had the potential to be a dangerous distraction that reduced political pressure to reduce emissions. "A net zero target means less incentive to get to 'real zero' emissions from fossil fuels, an escape hatch that perpetuates business as usual and delays more meaningful climate action," he said. "Rather than gambling on carbon removal technologies of

2340-591: A population of 568,322 living in 185,671 of its 195,098 total private dwellings, a change of 9.7% from its 2016 population of 517,887. With a land area of 316.11 km (122.05 sq mi), it had a population density of 1,797.9/km (4,656.4/sq mi) in 2021. Surrey is the 11th largest city in Canada, and is also the fifth-largest city in Western Canada (after Calgary , Edmonton , Winnipeg and Vancouver ). Surrey forms an integral part of Metro Vancouver as it

2457-401: A rate just fast enough to compensate for this deep ocean adjustment. The result would be approximately constant global average surface temperatures over decades or centuries. It will be quicker to reach net-zero emissions for CO 2 alone rather than CO 2 plus other greenhouse gases like methane , nitrous oxide and fluorinated gases . The net-zero target date for non-CO 2 emissions

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2574-596: A report that stated that the carbon neutrality pledges of many corporations , local governments , regional governments , and financial institutions around the world often amount to nothing more than greenwashing and provided 10 recommendations to ensure greater credibility and accountability for carbon neutrality pledges such as requiring non-state actors to publicly disclose and report verifiable information (e.g. greenhouse gas inventories and carbon footprint accounting in prospectus for financial securities ) that substantiates compliance with such pledges. After

2691-457: A respective target to achieve net zero or have already reached this goal. However, these numbers can vary significantly across different industries, countries, and firm sizes. External pressures, such as companies' exposure to risks associated with climate change and its perception as a problem, can influence a company's ambition to adopt specific targets and strategies. The guidance from standards institutions says that organizations should choose

2808-412: A series of "steps" of increasing energy efficiency. Step 1 simply requires confirmation that new buildings meet the existing energy-efficiency requirements of the existing BC Building Code . Meanwhile, at the opposite end of the scale, Step 5 for homes represents a home that is net-zero energy ready. A Step 5 home is effectively the most energy-efficient home that can be built today, roughly equivalent to

2925-530: A significant export opportunity. At a November 2017 conference, an assistant deputy minister with the Province of British Columbia's Office of Housing and Construction Standards called the BC Energy Step Code "a driver of the clean economy ." The BC Energy Step Code is available to communities to all climate zones across the province for Part 9 buildings, and only to Climate Zone 4 ( Lower Mainland and South Vancouver Island ) for Part 3 buildings. Future iterations of

3042-412: A voluntary basis. The lack of an enforcement mechanism surrounding these claims means that many are dubious. In many sectors such as steel, cement, and chemicals, the pathway to reaching net zero in terms of technology remains unclear. Further investment in research and innovation and further regulation will probably be necessary if net zero claims are to become more credible. Tzeporah Berman , chair of

3159-692: Is a large set of proposed legislation detailing how the European Union plans to reach this target. Surrey, British Columbia Surrey (/ˈsɝɹi/) is a city in British Columbia , Canada. It is located south of the Fraser River on the Canada–United States border . It is a member municipality of the Metro Vancouver regional district and metropolitan area. Mainly a suburban city, Surrey

3276-603: Is a set of policy initiatives by the European Commission with the overarching aim of making the European Union (EU) climate neutral in 2050. The plan is to review each existing law on its climate merits, and also introduce new legislation on the circular economy (CE), building renovation , biodiversity , farming and innovation . The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen , stated that

3393-514: Is a short-term target, and net zero is a longer-term target. To balance residual emissions, actors may take direct action to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and sequester it. Alternatively or in addition they can buy carbon credits that "offset" emissions . Carbon credits can be used to fund carbon removal projects such as reforestation . Strong standards such as the ISO and BSI "net zero" standards only allow removal-based offsets that have

3510-628: Is also a highly diversified sector where products are produced for developed and emerging industries that range from the cutting of lumber for various BC logging firms to constructing wind turbines as many Surrey-based environmental firms are capitalizing on the city's initiatives for the clean energy sector. The health sector makes a significant contribution to Surrey's economy. Surrey is home to almost 900 health-related businesses where major focuses in several life science sub-sectors that include infectious diseases, marine bio-science, neuroscience, oncology and regenerative medicine. Surrey Memorial Hospital

3627-481: Is based on data generated by builders from all across British Columbia, and bills itself as "one of the most extensive energy analyses of buildings in Canada." The researchers conclude that meeting the requirements of the Lower Steps of the BC Energy Step Code involve only very modest construction premiums. In most situations, builders can achieve the Lower Steps for less than a 2% construction cost premium above that of

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3744-454: Is because it allows actors to defer present-day emissions reductions by relying on future, unproved technological fixes. Examples are carbon offsetting, carbon dioxide removal and geoengineering . "The problems come when it is assumed that these [technological fixes] can be deployed at vast scale. This effectively serves as a blank cheque for the continued burning of fossil fuels and the acceleration of habitat destruction ", they said. By tracing

3861-542: Is because of the possibility that offset projects themselves could have harmful effects. The ISO Net Zero Guidelines say that net zero strategies should align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals .This is in order to "support equity and global transition to a net-zero economy, and any subsequent UN global goals which supersede the 2030 SDGs." The UNFCCC's Race to Zero campaign says emissions reductions and removals should "safeguard

3978-505: Is characterized by low population density urban sprawl , typical of North American cities, which includes areas of residential housing, light industry and commercial centres and is prone to strip development and malls. Approximately 2,465 hectares (6,091 acres) or 27 percent of the land area is designated as part of the Agricultural Land Reserve and can only be used for farming. The city is mostly hills and flatland, with most of

4095-415: Is later partly because modellers assume that some of these emissions such as methane from farming are harder to phase out. Emissions of short-lived gases such as methane do not accumulate in the climate system in the same way that CO 2 does. Therefore there is no need to reduce them to zero to halt global warming. This is because reductions in emissions of short-lived gases cause an immediate decline in

4212-436: Is often confused with "stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere". This is a term that dates from the 1992 Rio Convention . The two concepts are not the same. This is because the carbon cycle continuously sequesters or absorbs a small percentage of cumulative historical human-caused CO 2 emissions into vegetation and the ocean. This happens even after current CO 2 emissions are reduced to zero. If

4329-495: Is performance-based, not prescriptive, in that it does not specify the specific materials and strategies a builder must use. Instead, it sets measurable performance targets that the proposed building must meet. To ensure that builders have the skills and capacity they need to cost-effectively produce higher performance buildings, until 2020, governments that wish to use the BC Energy Step Code may incentivize all steps, but may only require Lower Steps. The BC Energy Step Code measures

4446-429: Is that until organizations and their supply chains are on track for net zero, allowing a product to claim to be net zero at this point would be disingenuous and lead to greenwashing. The International Monetary Fund estimates that compared to current government policies, shifting policies to bring emissions to net zero by 2050 would result in global gross domestic product (GDP) being 7 percent higher. In its estimates,

4563-577: Is the largest city in the region by land area, albeit while also serving as the secondary economic core of the metropolitan area. When combined with the City of Vancouver, both cities account for nearly 50 percent of the region's population. In recent years, a rapidly expanding urban core in Downtown Surrey , located in Whalley has transformed the area into the secondary downtown core in Metro Vancouver . Within

4680-491: Is the province's second-largest by population after Vancouver and the third-largest by area after Abbotsford and Prince George . Seven neighbourhoods in Surrey are designated town centres : Cloverdale , Fleetwood , Guildford , Newton , South Surrey , and City Centre encompassed by Whalley . Surrey was incorporated in 1879, and encompasses land formerly home to a number of Halqemeylem -speaking indigenous groups, including

4797-489: Is the second largest employer in the City of Surrey with an annual operating budget of $ 149.2   million while the health care organization, Fraser Health employs more than 4,100 people and an additional 350 active physicians at SMH. Due to population growth in the region, a new hospital in Surrey is planned to be built in Cloverdale; it is projected to be completed in 2026. Although not as large as Vancouver's technology sector, Surrey also has an emerging tech sector with

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4914-607: Is the second largest library in terms of size in Metro Vancouver. "REMEMBRANCE" by André Gauthier in Heritage Square, is an oversized bronze statue depicting a World War I kneeling soldier, helmet in hand, in remembrance of his fallen comrades. Attracting 15,000 people every February since 2004, WinterFest is a day of live music, sporting activities, food, and fireworks, held at the Central City Plaza . Since 1888,

5031-607: The 2020 provincial election , the BC NDP kept at least their previously six elected MLAs (potentially seven), while the number of MLAs for the BC Liberals will have between two and three. In 2004, when Gurmant Grewal 's wife Nina was elected to parliament, they became the first married couple to serve Canadian parliament concurrently. Following the 2015 federal election , the Liberal Party of Canada won three of Surrey's four seats in

5148-556: The 25 countries with the greatest emissions (whose pledges cover more than 90% of the gross world product ) by the recommendations of the UN report and found that many these pledges were largely unsubstantiated and more than half of cities had no plan for tracking and reporting compliance with pledges. The concept of net zero has attracted criticism for the impact it could have on equity and distribution. The use of removals or carbon credits for offsetting has been particularly controversial. This

5265-516: The Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative , has criticized net zero claims by fossil fuel companies, describing them "delusional and based on bad science". A consortium of climate scientists has tracked net zero commitments. Their research found that net pledges drafted in law or policy documentation have grown from 7% of countries in 2020 to 75% in 2023. However, very few have met the minimum requirements for

5382-526: The Fraser Valley Heritage Railway Society on the mainline between Cloverdale and Sullivan. In 1937, the then two-lane Pattullo Bridge linking New Westminster and Surrey was opened. In the early 1950s, BC Electric Railways ceased operating its interurban line, thus increasing the number of vehicles on Surrey roads. Highway 10 was built in 1953, and Highway 15 in 1957. In 1964, the provincial government completed Highway 401 and

5499-588: The House of Commons of Canada . Conservative MP Dianne Watts resigned her South Surrey—White Rock seat in 2017 to compete for the leadership of the BC Liberal Party. In the subsequent 2017 by-election, the Liberal candidate Gordie Hogg defeated former Conservative MP and federal cabinet minister Kerry-Lynne Findlay . The Museum of Surrey is affiliated with CMA , CHIN , and Virtual Museum of Canada . It reopened as

5616-680: The Indian Subcontinent therefore established in Surrey one of the largest concentrations of South Asian residents in North America. Other significant groups which reside in the city include East Asians (10.9 percent) and Southeast Asians (9.7 percent). Forming nearly 2.3 percent of the total population, the Black community of Surrey is small, though the city is home to the largest Black population in British Columbia; roughly 21 percent of

5733-569: The Semiahmoo , Katzie , and the Kwantlen peoples. When Englishman H.J. Brewer looked across the Fraser River from New Westminster and saw it was reminiscent of his native County of Surrey in England, the settlement of Surrey was placed on the map. The area then comprised forests of Douglas fir , fir , red cedar , hemlock , blackberry bushes, and cranberry bogs. A portion of present-day Whalley (named after Harry Whalley, who owned and operated

5850-495: The "real world," the study's authors produced a series of hypothetical scenarios for various building types in various cities. The Metrics Research report offers an example of the anticipated capital construction cost premium for a hypothetical 730 square foot unit in a six-storey apartment building in Surrey , British Columbia. Units in this hypothetical new building would sell for between CAD$ 270,000 and CAD$ 730,000. For this building,

5967-547: The BC Energy Step Code is and how it may be implemented across the province, and provide advice and clarification on technical aspects of the standard. In September 2017, BC Housing, the province's housing authority, and the Energy Step Code Council published the BC Energy Step Code 2017 Metrics Research Study as a comprehensive exploration of the standard's energy, emissions and economic impacts. The research

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6084-677: The BC Energy Step Code, and 17 local governments reported they were in the process of implementing at the time of the survey. In August 2017, British Columbia joined Canada's federal government, represented by Natural Resources Canada , and other provinces and territories in endorsing the Build Smart: Canada's Buildings Strategy, which is a "key driver" of the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change . The strategy commits signatories to develop and adopt increasingly stringent model building codes, starting in 2020, with

6201-503: The City of Surrey itself feature many neighbourhoods including City Centre, Whalley, Newton , Guildford , Fleetwood , Cloverdale and South Surrey . Each neighbourhood is unique and includes ethnically diverse populations. While Europeans and South Asians can be found in large numbers across the city, areas which house a large proportion of the former include South Surrey (72 percent) and Cloverdale (69 percent), with Newton (58 percent) and Whalley (51 percent) being home to large numbers of

6318-712: The European Green Deal would be Europe's "man on the moon moment". On 13 December 2019, the European Council decided to press ahead with the plan, with an opt-out for Poland . On 15 January 2020, the European Parliament voted to support the deal as well, with requests for higher ambition. A year later, the European Climate Law was passed, which legislated that greenhouse gas emissions should be 55% lower in 2030 compared to 1990. The Fit for 55 package

6435-609: The Fraser news. Radio India , another Indo-Canadian radio station, has its offices in Surrey. Every summer, Surrey hosts the Canada Cup International Women's Fastpitch Tournament. It began in 1993 as an international women's fastpitch developmental softball tournament to help teams prepare for the Olympics by facing top-calibre competition. The event continues to be a fan favourite with gate attendance reaching 93,000 for

6552-658: The Museum of Surrey on September 29, 2018, after a renovation which added 12,000 square feet (1,100 m ) to the previous 24,000-square-foot (2,200 m ) building. Surrey Art Gallery is the second largest public art museum in the Metro Vancouver region. It opened on September 13, 1975. The historic Surrey Municipal Hall complex includes the Cenotaph in Heritage Square, the Surrey Museum, and Cloverdale Library. The Surrey City Centre Public Library located at Whalley / City Centre

6669-572: The Serpentine River. The Semiahmoo Wagon Road was built in 1873 between Brownsville (opposite New Westminster) and Semiahmoo (Blaine). The first regular ferry service across the Fraser River started in 1882 on the steam ferry K de K , with the point of departure at Brownsville. The ferry landed on the Surrey side at the start of Old Yale Road, which connected directly inland to Yale and was a major gold rush trail. The New Westminster Rail Bridge

6786-536: The Sikh community celebrates Vaisakhi , which often includes a nagar kirtan , or parade, and free food is often handed out. It is the largest Vaiskahi parade outside India, growing from 100,000 attendees in 2008 to over 500,000 in 2019. Every October since 1991, Surrey has hosted the Surrey International Writers' Conference . This event brings established writers, agents, editors and publishers from all over

6903-826: The United States, in Massachusetts, Vermont, Oregon, New York, and California. Net zero Global net-zero emissions describe the state where emissions of greenhouse gases due to human activities and removals of these gases are in balance over a given period. It is often called simply net zero . In some cases, emissions refers to emissions of all greenhouse gases, and in others it refers only to emissions of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ). To reach net zero targets requires actions to reduce emissions. One example would be by shifting from fossil fuel energy to sustainable energy sources. Organizations often offset their residual emissions by buying carbon credits . People often use

7020-457: The city hall plaza, in 2017. In 2018, Surrey opened a $ 68 million biofuel facility, the first in North America. There were six employers in Surrey in 2017 each with more than 1,000 staff across BC: Fraser Health with 25,000; School District 36 with 10,560; City of Surrey with 3,400; Coast Capital Savings with 1,738; Starline Windows Group with 1,400; Kwantlen Polytechnic University with 1,332. Farming has strongly been attached to

7137-563: The community is served by The Surrey Now-Leader newspaper, and the Peace Arch News newspaper (for South Surrey). The city is also home to South Asian Broadcasting's ethnic radio station ReD-FM and the Asian Journal newspaper. The first Surrey-based English-language radio station, My Surrey FM 107.7 FM , was licensed by the CRTC in 2014 and is now Pulse FM 107.7 reporting about South of

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7254-1065: The company's activities. This can greatly affect the volume of emissions that are counted. Some oil companies, for instance, claim that their operations (Scopes 1 and 2) produce net-zero emissions. These claims do not cover the emissions produced when the oil is burned by its customers, which are 70 - 90% of oil-related emissions. This is because they count as Scope 3 emissions. Robust net zero standards require Scope 3 emissions to be counted, but "carbon neutrality" standards do not. To achieve net zero, actors are encouraged to set net zero targets for 2050 or earlier. Long-term net zero targets should be supplemented by interim targets for every one to five years. The UN, UNFCCC, ISO, and SBTi all say that organizations should prioritize early, front-loaded emissions reduction. They say they should aim to halve emissions by 2030. Specific emissions reduction targets and pathways may look different for different sectors. Some may be able to decarbonize more quickly and easily than others. Many companies often claim

7371-421: The concentration of CO 2 in the atmosphere were kept constant, some CO 2 emissions could continue. However global average surface temperatures would continue to increase for many centuries due to the gradual adjustment of deep ocean temperatures. If CO 2 emissions that result directly from human activities are reduced to net zero, the concentration of CO 2 in the atmosphere would decline. This would be at

7488-457: The cost of emissions reductions in 2050 is less than 2% of world GDP, and the cost savings from reducing the effects of climate change are approximately 9% of world GDP. More and more nations and private and public-sector organizations are committing to net zero. But the credibility of these claims remains low. There is no binding regulation requiring a transition to net zero. So the overwhelming majority of net zero commitments have been made on

7605-784: The design, building envelope, and equipment and systems. Builders and designers will collaborate with the energy advisor to select the most cost effective way to meet the standard's requirements. These Lower Steps give builders new flexibility in how to achieve modest gains in efficiency through improved envelopes and/or upgraded systems. To achieve the Upper Steps, builders and designers will need to adopt an integrated design approach to building design and may need to incorporate more substantial changes in building design, layout, framing techniques, system selection, and materials. These techniques and materials will be more costly and challenging without additional training and experience. In September 2015,

7722-804: The difficulties in calculating greenhouse gas sequestration and emissions reductions has also given rise to criticism. This argument is that this can result in schemes that do not adequately offset emissions in reality. There have been moves to create better regulation. The United Nations has operated a certification process for carbon offsets since 2001. This is called the Clean Development Mechanism. It aims to stimulate "sustainable development and emission reductions, while giving industrialized countries some flexibility in how they meet their emission reduction limitation targets." The UK Government's Climate Change Committee says reported emissions reductions or removals may have happened anyway or. not last into

7839-499: The economic well-being of Surrey, as the city of Surrey itself fostered and cemented a robust culture of farming. Approximately a third of Surrey's land is preserved and designated as farmland that is utilized for the local production of food to cater the city's growing population as well as increasing employment opportunities via the creation of local jobs. Agriculture continues to invigorate Surrey's economy employing 3300 people or 1.6 percent of Surrey's overall labour force. Manufacturing

7956-560: The emissions of others (third parties), and (3) actions to directly remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere (carbon sinks). Robust net zero standards require actors to reduce their own emissions as much as possible following science-based pathways. They must then balance their residual emissions using removals and offsets. This typically involves shifting from fossil fuels to sustainable energy sources. Residual emissions are emissions that are not practical to reduce for technological reasons. Experts and net zero frameworks disagree over

8073-589: The energy-performance requirements of a given step. An energy advisor uses software to analyze construction plans and determine the energy efficiency of a building. The builder then begins construction, paying special attention to the building envelope —the walls, windows, doors, and insulation. The energy advisor also tests a building once it is built to see how well it performs. To achieve the Lower Steps, building and design professionals and trades can rely on conventional building designs with careful air-sealing practices, and incrementally incorporate some key elements in

8190-457: The entire Black population of the province resides in Surrey. Similar to most cities across English-speaking Canada, a large majority (64 percent) of Surrey residents of European heritage can trace their roots to the British Isles . Religion in Surrey (2021) Proportionally, Surrey has the largest Sikh population percentage (27.4 percent) out of all subdivisions in Canada. As of 2021 ,

8307-451: The exact percentage of residual emissions that may be allowed. Most guidance suggests this should be limited to a small fraction of total emissions. Sector-specific and geographical factors would determine how much. The Science Based Targets initiative says that residual emissions across most sectors should fall between 5-10% of an organization's baseline emissions. It should be even lower for some sectors with competitive alternatives like

8424-465: The flatland in Tynehead, Hazelmere, the south of Cloverdale, and Colebrook. Surrey has an oceanic climate ( Cfb ) typical of the inter-coastal Pacific Northwest : rainy, wet winters, often with heavy rainfall lasting into early spring. Winters are chilly but not frigid, summers are mild and sunny, and autumns are cool and cloudy. In the 2021 Canadian census conducted by Statistics Canada , Surrey had

8541-661: The fuel when compared with one built to the minimum code requirements. This will result in fewer carbon emissions. The global green-building market doubles every three years and the value of the green building materials market is expected to reach $ 234 billion by 2019. British Columbia is already a green building design and construction leader, boasting some of highest-performing buildings in North America. Almost 12,000 people work in green architecture and related construction services in BC, while close to 9,000 work in clean energy services. The BC Energy Step Code could open up new local economic development opportunities, and helps unlock

8658-682: The future, Canada should plan for a managed wind down of fossil fuel production and invest public resources in bona fide solutions like renewables and a just transition from fossil fuels," he said. At the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27), the High-Level Expert Group on the net-zero emissions commitments of non-state entities of the United Nations formed the previous March by U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres and chaired by former Canadian Minister of Environment and Climate Change Catherine McKenna released

8775-696: The future. This is despite an improvement in standards globally and in the UK. There has also been criticisms of non-native and monocultural forest plantations as carbon offsets. This is because of their "limited—and at times negative—effects on native biodiversity" and other ecosystem services . Most of the carbon credits on the voluntary market today do not meet UN, UNFCCC, ISO or SBTi standards for permanent carbon dioxide removals. So significant investment in carbon capture and permanent geological storage will probably be necessary to achieve net-zero targets by mid-century. Since 2015, there has been significant growth in

8892-683: The goal that provinces and territories adopt a "net-zero energy ready" model building code by 2030. In British Columbia, the BC Energy Step Code serves as a technical policy pathway for British Columbia to deliver on that goal. As of mid-2018, the only other tiered building standard in Canada's is the Toronto Green Standard, which establishes sustainable design requirements for new private and public developments in that city. The Toronto Green Standard consists of stepped levels of performance measures with supporting guidelines that promote sustainable site and building design. New Buildings Institute ,

9009-615: The highest performance levels may require non-conventional building practices; this would increase construction costs between $ 5,500 (Step 4) and $ 9,400 (Step 5) per unit, the study suggests. Buildings built to higher energy efficiency standard have been shown to provide multiple co-benefits – to home and building owners and occupants, to industry, to the environment, and to the community. Owners and tenants often prefer high-performance buildings as they require less energy, reducing utility bills. Occupants also prefer them because they better manage: The BC Energy Step Code provides industry with

9126-446: The history of previous failures in climate policy at reducing emissions from 1988 to 2021, they said they "[arrive] at the painful realisation that the idea of net zero has licensed a recklessly cavalier 'burn now, pay later' approach which has seen carbon emissions continue to soar". They concluded: "Current net zero policies will not keep warming to within 1.5 °C because they were never intended to. They were and still are driven by

9243-638: The largest 2,000 publicly traded companies by annual revenue have net zero targets. Among Fortune 500 companies the percentage is 63%. Company targets can result from both voluntary action and government regulation . The Greenhouse Gas Protocol is a group of standards that are the most common in GHG accounting. These standards reflect a number of accounting principles. They include relevance, completeness, consistency, transparency, and accuracy. The standards divide emissions into three scopes: Corporate net zero targets vary in how widely they cover emissions related to

9360-462: The last few years, net zero has become the main framework for climate action . Many countries and organizations are setting net zero targets. As of November 2023, around 145 countries had announced or are considering net zero targets, covering close to 90% of global emissions. They include some countries that were resistant to climate action in previous decades. Country-level net zero targets now cover 92% of global GDP , 88% of emissions, and 89% of

9477-461: The late 2000s into how the atmosphere, oceans and carbon cycle were reacting to CO 2 emissions. This research found that global warming will only stop if CO 2 emissions are reduced to net zero. Net zero was basic to the goals of the Paris Agreement . This stated that the world must "achieve a balance between anthropogenic emissions by sources and removals by sinks of greenhouse gases in

9594-636: The latter. Immigration to Surrey has drastically increased since the 1980s; this has created a more ethnically and linguistically diverse city. 52 percent do not speak English as their first language, while approximately 38 percent of the city's inhabitants are of South Asian heritage. Beginning in the 1990s, an influx of South Asians began moving to the city from the Punjabi Market neighbourhood of South Vancouver due to rising housing costs and rapidly increasing rent costs for businesses. The outflow of these residents combined with increased immigration from

9711-435: The level of energy efficiency in their new buildings. The BC Energy Step Code applies to new construction only. For small buildings, Steps 1 to 3 (collectively, the "Lower Steps") can be achieved using construction techniques and products readily understood and available in today's market; homes built to Steps 4 and 5 (the "Upper Steps") are more ambitious and may require more training and incentives to achieve. The regulation

9828-525: The median household income of Surrey was $ 67,702 (versus the national median of $ 76,437), where 29.4 percent of households in Surrey earned a household total income of $ 100,000 or more, which is above the national average of 25.9 percent. Surrey is one of the largest industrial centres within British Columbia, with a burgeoning high technology, clean energy, advanced manufacturing, health, education, agriculture, and arts sector. Increase in filming activity in Surrey resulted in 189 productions, including 15 at

9945-452: The national strategy of France, use the term "carbon neutral" to mean net reductions of all greenhouse gases. The United States has pledged to achieve "net zero" emissions by 2050. As of March 2021 it had not specified which greenhouse gases will be included in its target. Countries, local governments, corporations, and financial institutions may all announce pledges for achieving to reach net-zero emissions. In climate change discussions,

10062-428: The net-zero emissions commitments of non-state entities has made several recommendations for non-state actors . Non-state actors include cities, regional governments, financial institutions, and corporations. One of these is not financing new fossil fuel development. Another is supporting strong climate policy. And another is ensuring that business activities and investments do not contribute to deforestation . 65% of

10179-730: The nine-day tournament in 2004. The BCHL Surrey Eagles hockey team plays at the South Surrey Arena in Surrey. The Eagles won the BCHL championship, the Fred Page Cup , in 1997, 1998, 2005 and 2013; the western championship, the Doyle Cup , in 1997 and 1998; and the national championship, the Royal Bank Cup , in 1998. Surrey hosted the Canadian national qualifying tournament in 2006, and sends

10296-574: The number of actors pledging net-zero emissions. Many standards have emerged that interpret the net zero concept and aim to measure progress towards net zero targets. Some of these standards are more robust than others. Some people have criticized weak standards for facilitating greenwashing . The UN , UNFCCC , International Organization for Standardization (ISO), and the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) promote more robust standards. The "United Nations High-Level Expert Group" on

10413-467: The power sector. Sectors such as heavy manufacturing where it is harder to mitigate emissions will probably have a higher percentage of residual emissions by 2050. The ISO and British Standards Institution (BSI) publish "carbon neutrality" standards that have higher tolerance for residual emissions than "net zero" standards. For example, BSI PAS 2060 is a British standard for measuring carbon neutrality. According to these standards, carbon neutrality

10530-429: The province renamed the group the Energy Step Code Council, and mandated it "to support local governments and industry towards smooth uptake of the BC Energy Step Code and help guide market transformation towards higher-performance buildings within B.C." The Energy Step Code Council meets quarterly to support training and capacity building opportunities for local governments, industry, and other stakeholder, communicate what

10647-480: The province's Building Safety and Standards branch established an Energy Efficiency Working Group (EEWG) to review policies and regulations that apply to energy efficiency in BC, to seek stakeholder input and offer guidance on how to best implement an Energy Step Code to achieve consistent building energy performance beyond the BC Building Code. The consultations engaged with the building and development sectors, and

10764-557: The race. Unlike most traditional boat races, the Nicomekl River Race requires that all boats be made by the participants. The racecourse extends from Nicomekl Park to Blackie Spit Park at Crescent Beach. The first team to reach the mouth of the river is awarded a prize of $ 1,000. Additional prizes are awarded to the most creative boat and costume. All proceeds go towards the BC Cancer society. In addition to news media from Vancouver ,

10881-795: The release of the report, Net Zero Tracker, a research consortium that includes the NewClimate Institute, the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit , the Data-Driven EnviroLab of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , and the Net Zero Initiative at the University of Oxford issued a report evaluating the climate neutrality pledges of 116 of 713 regional governments, of 241 of 1,177 cities with populations greater than 500,000 , and of 1,156 of 2,000 publicly listed companies in

10998-408: The report says meeting the requirements of Step 1 would involve a construction cost premium of CAD$ 100 per unit above the cost of building to the standard modelling requirements of the BC Building Code . Meeting the requirements of Step 2 would incur A 0.5 percent construction cost premium, about CAD$ 790 per unit. Meeting the requirements of Step 3 adds about CAD$ 970 to the per-unit build cost. Finally,

11115-412: The researchers conclude that meeting the requirements of Step 1 would involve a construction cost premium of $ 560 per unit above the cost of building to the BC Building Code . Meeting the requirements of Step 2 would incur a 0.4% construction cost premium, about CAD$ 1,250 per unit. Meeting the requirements of Step 3 adds about CAD$ 2,950 to the per-unit build cost. Finally, the report states that building to

11232-460: The researchers found that building to the very high-performance levels of Step 4 may entail a per-unit construction cost premium of CAD$ 4,215. The Metrics Research report also models an example of the anticipated capital construction cost premium for a hypothetical 1,720 square feet unit built into a six-unit row house project in Surrey, B.C. Units in this hypothetical new building would sell for between CAD$ 550,000 and CAD$ 800,000. For this building,

11349-452: The resulting radiative forcing . Radiative forcing is the change in the Earth's energy balance that they cause. However, these potent but short-lived gases will drive temperatures higher in the short term. This could possibly push the rise in temperature past the 1.5 °C threshold much earlier. A comprehensive net-zero emissions target would include all greenhouse gases. This would ensure that

11466-506: The rights of the most vulnerable people and communities". It says that organizations should disclose how they will support communities affected by climate impacts and climate transition. As of November 2023, around 145 countries had announced or are considering net zero targets, covering close to 90% of global emissions. They include some countries that were resistant to climate action in previous decades. Country-level net zero targets now cover 92% of global GDP , 88% of emissions and 89% of

11583-425: The rigorous Passive house standard. The BC Building Code separates all buildings into two basic categories – Part 9 and Part 3, as follows: For Part 9 buildings, there are five steps of the BC Energy Step Code; Part 3 buildings have four steps, while commercial buildings have three. Each step represents a more stringent set of energy-efficiency requirements. As communities climb the steps, they gradually increase

11700-726: The same permanence as the greenhouse gases that they balance. The term for this concept is "like for like" removals. Permanence means that removals must store greenhouse gases for the same period as the lifetime of the GHG emissions they balance. For example, methane has a lifetime of around 12 years in the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide lasts between 300 and 1,000 years. Accordingly, removals that balance carbon dioxide must last much longer than removals that balance methane. Carbon credits can also fund initiatives that aim to avoid emissions. One example would be energy efficiency retrofits or renewable energy projects. Avoided emissions offsets result from actions that reduce emissions relative to

11817-463: The same time they continue to increase greenhouse gas emissions by extracting and producing fossil fuels. They claim that they will use carbon credits and carbon capture technology in order to continue extracting and burning fossil fuels. The UN has condemned such pledges as dangerous examples of greenwashing. Climate scientists James Dyke, Bob Watson , and Wolfgang Knorr argue that the concept of net zero has been harmful for emissions reductions. This

11934-556: The second half of this century". The term "net zero" gained popularity after the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change published its Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5 °C (SR15) in 2018, this report stated that "Reaching and sustaining net zero global anthropogenic [human-caused] CO 2 emissions and declining net non-CO 2 radiative forcing would halt anthropogenic global warming on multi-decadal timescales ( high confidence )." The idea of net-zero emissions

12051-476: The silver trophy at the world finals in 2013 as well. Both dance companies are from Surrey. Cricket is also played in Surrey. There are more than 85 teams registered with British Columbia Mainland Cricket League. There are more than 20 cricket pitches across Surrey, though the only turf pitch is in West Newton. Other notable sporting events held by Surrey include: The first non-Indigenous settlement of Surrey

12168-575: The standard will increase coverage to all types and all areas. All British Columbia local governments except the City of Vancouver may reference and enforce the BC Energy Step Code in their policies and bylaws. The City of Vancouver has its own building code , and its own high-performance buildings strategy, the Zero Emissions Building Plan. As of a March 2019 survey of 76 local governments, 14 local governments reported that they had implemented

12285-471: The terms net zero, carbon neutrality, and climate neutrality are often used as if they mean the same thing. In some contexts, however, they have different meanings from each other. The sections below explain this. People often use these terms without rigorous standard definitions. A given actor may plan to achieve net-zero emissions through a combination of approaches. These would include (1) actions to reduce their own emissions, (2) actions to reduce

12402-454: The terms net-zero emissions , carbon neutrality , and climate neutrality with the same meaning. However, in some cases, these terms have different meanings from each other. For example, some standards for carbon neutral certification allow a lot of carbon offsetting . But net zero standards require reducing emissions to more than 90% and then only offsetting the remaining 10% or less to fall in line with 1.5 °C targets. In

12519-401: The top five most reported religious affiliations in Surrey were Christianity (170,115 or 30.2 percent), Irreligion (161,860 or 28.6 percent), Sikhism (154,415 or 27.4 percent), Islam (31,095 or 5.5 percent), and Hinduism (30,455 or 5.4 percent). As of 2010, Surrey had the highest median family income of CA$ 78,283 , while the BC provincial median was $ 71,660, and the national median

12636-597: The town centre of Cloverdale has hosted the annual Cloverdale Rodeo and Country Fair at the Cloverdale Fairgrounds every May long weekend . The Fair is Canada's second largest rodeo , and it features 150 acres (0.61 km ) of family-oriented entertainment including agricultural/horticultural exhibits, a western tradeshow, parade, community stages, and the Pacific Northwest Firefighter Combat Challenge. Every year on April 13,

12753-501: The trades and professions that support them, as well as local governments, utilities, and other stakeholders, to identify a consistent approach to increasing energy-efficiency standards. In August 2016, the group renamed itself the Stretch Code Implementation Working Group and published its final report and recommendations, including adoption of a Step Code into a voluntary provincial regulation. In mid 2017,

12870-566: The underlying energy code is improved. They help accelerate market acceptance and adoption of more stringent energy efficiency codes in the future. Stretch codes can work in tandem with utility incentive programs. In November 2017, New Buildings Institute released a set of model stretch building code strategies that target 20% better efficiency than current U.S. national building energy codes. The new 20% Stretch Code Provisions address design aspects such as envelope, mechanical, water heating, lighting and plug loads. Other stretch codes are in place in

12987-512: The world population. According to World Population Review, a number of countries have net zero, or net negative carbon emissions: Bhutan , Comoros , Gabon , Guyana , Madagascar , Panama , and Suriname . However, according to the World Resources Institute, all of these countries have net positive greenhouse gas emissions. These countries generally have a high level of forestation. The European Green Deal , approved in 2020,

13104-571: The world population. 65% of the largest 2,000 publicly traded companies by annual revenue have net zero targets. Among Fortune 500 companies, the percentage is 63%. Company targets can result from both voluntary action and government regulation . Net zero claims vary enormously in how credible they are, but most have low credibility despite the increasing number of commitments and targets. While 61% of global carbon dioxide emissions are covered by some sort of net zero target, credible targets cover only 7% of emissions. This low credibility reflects

13221-862: The world to the Comfort Inn & Suites Surrey Hotel and Sheraton Vancouver Guildford Hotel in Guildford Town Centre . There are presently three live theatre venues in the City of Surrey in British Columbia as of January 2013: the Bell Centre for Performing Arts, the Chandos Pattison Auditorium and the Surrey Arts Centre. One of the lesser-known events in Surrey is the annual Nicomekl River Race. Every year, in early June, teams of four meet at Nicomekl Park in Langley, British Columbia to begin

13338-465: The world would also urgently reduce non-CO 2 gases. Some targets aim to reach net-zero emissions only for carbon dioxide. Others aim to reach net-zero emissions of all greenhouse gases. Robust net zero standards state that all greenhouse gases should be covered by a given actor's targets. Some authors say that carbon neutrality strategies focus only on carbon dioxide, but net zero includes all greenhouse gases. However some publications, such as

13455-425: Was $ 74,540. The average family income was $ 85,765. South Surrey area had the highest average household income of all six town centres in Surrey, with an average of $ 86,824 as of 2010. Median household income was also high at $ 62,960. South Surrey's neighbourhood of Rosemary Heights is the richest in Surrey and throughout the Metro Vancouver area, with a median income more than twice the regional average. As of 2010,

13572-626: Was founded near Crescent Beach , located in South Surrey ; another was founded near Bridgeview/ Brownsville , located in North Surrey. Early trails and roads helped to encourage the settlement of Surrey. The first trail built by a settler was the 1861 the Kennedy Trail . James Kennedy built the trail to provide a route between New Westminster and the natural pasture land on the Mud Bay Flats next to

13689-532: Was opened in 1904, allowing personal vehicles to cross the Fraser River on the upper deck. The lower deck, for rail, enabled BC Electric Railway to finally construct the Interurban line, an electric suburb commuter rail route connecting Chilliwack to Vancouver. It opened for service in 1910, and ran through Kennedy, Newton , Sullivan, and Cloverdale . Two of the BCER cars (1225 & 1304) are restored and are operated by

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