8Create an electric and thermal energy consumption cap for new Industrial, Commercial and Institutional (ICI) construction by utilizing a municipal step code.

The 2020 National Energy Code of Canada for Buildings (NECB) introduced a tiered approach for new ICI building construction. The Province of Saskatchewan committed to enacting Tier 1 of NECB starting on January 1, 2024. Tier 1 requires new buildings to achieve an approximate 11% EUI improvement over the 2017 code and aligns with the LEC Plan targets for 2021-2025. The LEC Plan calls for a 20% improvement by 2030, 40% by 2035, and Net Zero Ready (>80%) by 2036. Assuming the Province adopts Tier 3 by 2025, requiring a 20% improvement, the Province’s plan will exceed the LEC Targets in the short-term. However, Tier 4 adoption is required to meet the LEC’s Target of Net Zero Ready by 2036. That action called for a municipal step code to meet the targets, but the National Building Code has similar energy improvement requirements.