As discussed, we are updating the wall thickness exemption section of the Zoning and Development
Bylaw to keep it aligned with the new insulation requirements in the 2014 Vancouver Building Bylaw. We are drafting the report to Council and I’d appreciate it if you could flag any concerns before
next Friday.
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Exemption is not a requirement; it is offered to builders who voluntarily opt to exceed the
minimum wall insulation requirements of the By-law in recognition that these better walls will
be thicker
Floor space occupied by extra thickness of insulation that exceeds minimum Bylaw requirement
(R-22 effective) will be exempted from FSR calculation
Exempted floor space will need to be verified (signed and sealed) by a qualified building
envelope professional (engineer or architect)
Walls that rely upon spray foam insulation as a primary source of insulation will not be eligible
for this exemption
Q: Why is building envelope professional verification required? A: This is to avoid unwarranted delays
in permit processing that may arise from staff efforts to verify the eligible exemption, especially as
innovation in new and improved wall assemblies continues.
Q: Why will walls that utilize spray foam insulation not be eligible? A: The City has begun efforts to
maximize the recovery of re-usable wood from home demolitions and prevent it from going to
landfill. Spray foam adheres to framing wood making it very difficult to recover this wood from the
waste stream for other uses. A maximum wall thickness exemption of 333 mm is available to ensure
even Passive House levels of wall insulation can be accommodated without needing to utilize spay foam.