Vancouver's Journey to 100% Renewable Energy

Chris Higgins works for the city of Vancouver, British Columbia as a building planner, where he spearheads the development of energy-efficient building codes that contribute to Vancouver's ambition of achieving 100% renewable energy by 2050. Chris works on reducing greenhouse gas emissions through rezoning building policies for new buildings to be on all renewables, the “sticks,” and creating incentives for existing homes to switch to renewables, the “carrots.” On the “stick” side, Chris was responsible for driving and helping to get Vancouver City Council to pass a sweeping policy to mandate that heating systems in new low-rise residential buildings be zero-emission, specifically using electric heat pumps. We discuss the complex process it took to get there. On the "carrot" side, we examine how strategically timed short and long-term incentives can align the economic interests of developers, manufacturers, and Vancouver residents, motivating a shift to renewable energy. We also talk about the similarities and differences between the US and Canadian markets on shaping policy and incentives in this area.