To: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the environment minister, all MPs

Make all new construction green construction

The Government of Canada needs to change the National Building Code to require all new construction to be built with solar or green roofs.

Why is this important?

We currently have the technology to install green or solar roofs on all kinds of buildings. There are incentive programs to get homeowners to install solar panels on their roofs. Several buildings have installed green roofs. The problem is, these innovations are too few and far between.

Solar power allows us to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels for the electricity we use every day in our homes and workplaces. The more power we can capture from the sun means less coal, oil, or natural gas being burned to heat and light our homes and to power our electronics and appliances.

Plants absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen thus reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in our air. They also have a cooling effect. Green rooftops can lead to cleaner air for us to breathe and cool our cities. In a time when summer heat waves are becoming more frequent, we can use the cooling effect that plants provide in our gardens and parks but also on our rooftops.

The technology exists. There are currently incentives for installing solar panels on residential homes but, look around, how many people do you see taking advantage of these incentives? Are they enough?

Change is not happening quickly enough. We need to act fast to reduce our carbon emissions and get to net-zero as fast as we can. Changing the National Building Code to require green or solar rooftops on new construction is one way to do that.