New Sustainable Construction Regulations: Quebec Tightens Standards in October 2025

Introduction

October 1, 2025, marks the entry into force of a new set of sustainable construction regulations in Quebec. These changes, announced by the Ministry of the Environment and the Fight Against Climate Change in collaboration with the Régie du bâtiment du Québec (RBQ), represent the most significant tightening of environmental standards since the adoption of the amended Quebec Construction Code (QCC) in 2020. For construction professionals, these new requirements pose major challenges but also offer opportunities for innovation and differentiation.

Overview of the New Regulations

The regulatory changes affect several crucial aspects of construction and aim to align Quebec with its commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 37.5% by 2030.

Strengthened Energy Efficiency Standards

The new energy efficiency standards impose significantly stricter requirements for all new buildings:

• Residential buildings: Mandatory 40% reduction in energy consumption compared to 2020 standards
• Commercial buildings: Minimum energy performance equivalent to LEED Gold certification
• Institutional buildings: Obligation to achieve the Net-Zero Energy Building (NZEB) standard for any construction over 5,000 m²
• Major renovations: At least a 25% improvement in energy performance for renovations affecting more than 50% of the building envelope

Requirements for Sustainable Materials

An entirely new section of the code imposes restrictions and obligations regarding construction materials:

• Minimum recycled content: At least 30% of non-structural materials must come from recycled or renewable sources
• Prohibition of high-carbon-footprint materials: Restriction on the use of certain petroleum-based synthetic insulations, unless technically justified
• Mandatory certification: All lumber must carry FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certification or equivalent
• Life Cycle Analysis: Obligation to provide a global carbon footprint assessment for projects over $10 million

Stormwater Management and Green Infrastructure

The new provisions concerning water management represent a paradigm shift:

• On-site retention: Obligation to manage 100% of stormwater from a 25 mm rainfall event directly on-site via green infrastructure
• Green roofs: Minimum of 50% vegetated surface for flat roofs on commercial and institutional buildings
• Recovery systems: Mandatory installation of rainwater harvesting systems for irrigation and non-potable uses
• Surface permeability: At least 40% of parking surfaces must be permeable or compensated by green landscaping

Impact on Design and Estimation Processes

These new requirements profoundly transform the design and estimation processes for construction projects.

Increased Complexity in Cost Estimation

The integration of sustainable materials, advanced energy systems, and green infrastructure significantly complicates cost estimation. The prices of certified materials can vary by up to 40% compared to conventional materials, and availability is not always guaranteed.

Traditional estimation tools struggle to incorporate these new variables. This is why platforms like ConstructoAI are becoming essential: their AI-powered estimation modules automatically integrate the costs of sustainable materials, certification premiums, and Quebec-specific compliance requirements. The system updates its databases in real-time, ensuring that estimates reflect current market prices for green products.

Documentation and Regulatory Compliance

The documentation burden increases significantly with these new standards. Each project must now include:

• Detailed energy performance report (complete thermal modeling)
• Inventory of materials with environmental certifications
• Stormwater management plan with hydraulic calculations
• Life cycle analysis for large projects
• Construction waste management plan with recycling targets (minimum 75%)

Managing this documentation can quickly become an administrative burden. ConstructoAI's specialized AI agents automate much of this work by analyzing plans and specifications to automatically generate the compliance reports required by the RBQ. The system identifies documentation gaps before permit submission, thus avoiding costly delays.

Opportunities and Financial Incentives

To facilitate the transition, the federal and provincial governments have established several financial support programs.

Grants and Tax Credits

• ÉcoPerformance Québec Program: Grant covering up to 35% of the additional costs related to sustainable materials and technologies (maximum $500,000 per project)
• Green Renovation Tax Credit: 25% credit on eligible costs for energy-efficient renovations (maximum $50,000)
• Green Infrastructure Fund: Federal funding for stormwater management systems and green roofs
• Rénoclimat Program for ICI: Extension of the Rénoclimat program to the institutional, commercial, and industrial sectors with free technical support

Competitive Advantages

Beyond direct incentives, companies that quickly master these new standards gain strategic advantages:

• Market differentiation: Positioning as an expert in sustainable construction, an increasingly important criterion for clients
• Privileged access to public projects: Government tenders now favor companies certified in sustainable construction
• Risk reduction: Anticipating future, even stricter regulations expected in 2027-2028
• Innovation and efficiency: Processes optimized for environmental compliance often improve overall operational efficiency

Compliance Strategies for Contractors

Faced with these major regulatory changes, contractors must adopt a proactive and structured approach.

1. Training and Skills Development

The RBQ, in collaboration with the CCQ (Commission de la construction du Québec), offers a series of certification training courses on the new standards:

• Certification in High-Performance Building Design
• Training on Sustainable Construction Materials and their Implementation
• Course on Integrated Stormwater Management
• Seminars on Building Life Cycle Analysis

These training courses are eligible for the training tax credit, and several are offered free of charge until March 2026.

2. Updating Tools and Processes

Adopting technological tools is becoming essential to effectively manage the increased complexity:

• Energy modeling software: To demonstrate compliance with performance standards
• Integrated BIM platforms: For coordinating complex sustainable systems
• Intelligent estimation systems: Like ConstructoAI, to manage the variable costs of sustainable materials
• Document management tools: To centralize and organize compliance documentation

3. Strategic Partnerships

Developing relationships with specialized suppliers of sustainable materials and energy efficiency consultants is becoming crucial. These partnerships allow for:

• Privileged access to certified materials that are sometimes in limited supply
• Technical expertise to optimize designs
• Risk sharing on innovative projects
• Collaborative learning on emerging best practices

Case Studies: Pioneering Projects in Quebec

Several recently completed or ongoing projects demonstrate that compliance with the new standards is not only achievable but also economically viable.

ÉcoVie Residential Tower, Montreal

This 18-story project, completed in August 2025, achieved Net-Zero Energy Building (NZEB) certification while staying within a budget comparable to conventional constructions. The general contractor, Groupe Construbec, attributes this success to the intensive use of modular prefabrication and precise estimation made possible by AI tools that optimized every budget item.

Sherbrooke Community Centre

As the first municipal building in Quebec to achieve LEED Platinum certification under the new standards, this project demonstrates the viability of green infrastructure: 100% on-site stormwater management through a combination of a green roof, bioswales, and a recovery system. The project benefited from $280,000 in provincial and federal grants.

Persistent Challenges and Emerging Solutions

Availability of Certified Materials

The increased demand for certified sustainable materials is creating tension in the supply chain. Delivery times for some eco-certified products can reach 12 to 16 weeks. Solutions:

• Early planning and advance orders
• Diversification of suppliers, including options from outside Quebec
• Use of equivalent certified local alternatives
• Establishing strategic stocks for materials with a long shelf life

Complexity of Compliance Calculations

Energy modeling and life cycle analysis require specialized expertise that is often expensive. Platforms like ConstructoAI democratize access to these capabilities by automating many of the complex calculations and providing instant compliance analyses based on project data.

Outlook for 2026 and Beyond

The Quebec government has already announced that these October 2025 standards are just a first step. The next revisions are expected for 2027 with:

• Extension of NZEB requirements to all commercial buildings over 2,000 m²
• Decarbonization obligations for smaller-scale renovations
• Standards on the use of low-carbon-footprint concrete
• Circularity requirements (reuse and recycling) for construction materials

Companies that adapt to the 2025 standards now will be better positioned to anticipate these future changes.

Conclusion

The new sustainable construction regulations coming into effect in October 2025 represent a profound shift in Quebec's regulatory landscape. Although these increased requirements present challenges in terms of cost, documentation, and technical complexity, they also pave the way for a more innovative, efficient, and responsible construction industry.

Companies that take a proactive approach—by investing in training, modernizing their tools and processes, and developing strategic partnerships—will transform these regulatory obligations into sustainable competitive advantages.

Technological tools like ConstructoAI play a central role in this transition, automating the most complex aspects of compliance and allowing professionals to focus on what they do best: building high-quality projects.

To discover how ConstructoAI can help you navigate the new sustainable construction regulations, automate your compliance analyses, and optimize your green project estimates, contact our team for a personalized demonstration of features specific to RBQ compliance and Quebec's environmental standards.