The NBC 2020 Energy Code Compliance Verification Tool is part of Energy Navigator 9.36 — a digital platform for NBC Section 9.36 tiered energy compliance on new homes, with a current focus on Alberta and Saskatchewan. Energy Navigator 9.36 is operated by Sol Invictus Energy Services Ltd. (a certified B Corp) with software and research partners (including 908 AI, Volta Research Group, and academic partners such as SAIT and the University of Alberta).
This specific page gives a fast, automated check of energy-modelling outputs in HOT2000 PDF reports against the code-style rules encoded here. It uses jurisdiction and location / climate from each report (e.g. province, weather station, heating degree-days) so tables and defaults match the right NBC-style requirements. Results are shown in plain language with pass / note / fail style flags. It does not replace the authority having jurisdiction, your judgment, or the final compliance decision.
The screening layer is a deterministic rule engine: it extracts structured fields from HOT2000 PDF text (pattern-based parsing) and compares them to NBC 9.36–style thresholds encoded in software. You do not need machine learning for that core path — the logic is explicit and repeatable.
Research partners (including 908 AI) support product R&D: broader report coverage, safer handling of layout variants, and (on the public roadmap) optional AI-assisted workflows such as plan-to-model checks. Those are separate from today’s rule checks and will be described when they ship.
Ready-to-publish wording for energy-navigator.ca (Squarespace or any CMS) is in the Energy Navigator Dropbox: open the H2K folder, then website-content, and use the file Energy_Navigator_Review_Method_for_website.md as a starting paragraph block for a “How it works” or transparency page.
The full platform (described on energy-navigator.ca/map) is aimed at end-to-end compliance workflows: intake, completeness, optional path decision support, integration with energy modelling software (fewer duplicate inputs; room for cost assessment, risk analysis, and high-level parametric studies as those layers mature), municipal reporting, and optional labour-backed technical QA (e.g. full RSI review, verification that assemblies and plans align with the model). Those layers are licensed or procured separately by municipalities and agencies where applicable.
This PDF verification tool can be used on its own: it screens 100% of uploaded report pairs against the automated rule set exposed here. It does not perform detailed calculation audits or drawing-to-model cross-checks; when you need that depth, it falls under Energy Navigator 9.36’s broader technical QA / verification services (not this standalone reader).
Drag both Proposed and Reference HOT2000 PDFs at once onto the upload area, or drop each file into the Proposed House and Reference House boxes individually. Then choose Analyze.
Aligned with the public roadmap, additions and expansions include (timing varies; see energy-navigator.ca/map):
Tiered energy codes increase review workload; many agencies lack in-house time or specialist depth for every file. Inconsistent or incomplete submissions slow permits and raise error risk. This tool standardizes how key model outputs are read and checked against a consistent rule set and surfaces risks early so staff spend less time hunting through long PDFs for the same items. It supports — but does not replace — professional judgment.
No. It supports review but does not determine compliance or approve permits.
Primarily HOT2000 Full House Reports. The broader platform is building interoperability with energy modelling software so submissions and design iterations support better decision-making (including cost, risk, and parametric views as those features mature). Research partners such as Volta Research Group contribute to that direction; additional formats and integrations will roll out over time.
When a submission is identified as an EnerGuide / ERS path, HOT2000’s reference house is auto-generated by the rating system. Numbers and pass / note outcomes in this tool are read from those reports. They may differ from what you would see if the same dwelling were modelled with a manually built NBC 9.36.5 reference house in HOT2000 — that is expected. The auto-generated reference cannot be edited in the EnerGuide mode; reviewers should treat EnerGuide-labelled outputs with that limitation in mind where applicable.
Values are read automatically from each HOT2000 PDF. Unusual layouts, scanned pages, or typos in the report can mean a field is missing or misread. If a value looks wrong, check it against the PDF or ask the submitter to fix the model and provide updated reports.
This page computes fenestration ratio from text extracted from the HOT2000 PDF (window and door areas, wall components, and the printed “Above grade fraction of wall area occupied by windows” line when present). The 9.36 Report spreadsheet is filled from the .h2k (or the same numeric pipeline as the web exporter) using template formulas (e.g. wall total and orientation glazing). Both follow the same NBC idea — (above-grade wall windows + net opaque doors) on the code wall basis — but they are not the same code path. If the PDF repeats that fraction line (for example multiple sections in one file), the reader picks the line that best matches the summed wall areas from the PDF. When you upload optional .h2k files, performance FDWR and the Ref FDWR band check use the XML-derived digest (workbook-style geometry) for that percentage when available, and note if it differs from the PDF parse. If numbers still disagree, compare the Fenestration / FDWR show-your-work block on this site to the workbook’s wall and window inputs.
This tool is read-only: it analyzes the files you upload and shows results here. It does not edit HOT2000 files, store an official record for the permit file, or replace your process. If the review flags an issue, the energy advisor or modeller corrects the underlying model and supplies new PDFs outside this tool.
Typically the energy advisor or service provider. Admins may support. Home builders are only involved if files are missing or incorrect.
You get a clear, consolidated view of each project with items flagged for attention — less time flipping through long HOT2000 PDFs for the same checks.
The review compares the submitted models against code-based requirements for the jurisdiction and location implied by the report (for example climate zone and heating degree days from the weather location, and province where defaults such as airtightness assumptions apply). Checks draw on NBC Part 9 / Section 9.36-style limits for reference-house insulation, fenestration ratios (FDWR), mechanical minimums, and related performance metrics, with plain-language explanations for each item.
Provincial or municipal amendments beyond the national model code are not automatically encoded; officials should confirm local adoption and amendments. The tool highlights risk and alignment with the rules it implements; it does not make the final compliance decision.
It can help: fewer incomplete submissions and less back-and-forth on common energy-code items. Expedited permitting where municipalities pair this with streamlined processes is a planned direction on the platform (see “What’s coming on the Energy Navigator 9.36 platform” above).
Use the Energy Navigator 9.36 roadmap, provincial code links in this FAQ, CACEA (qualified energy advisors), partner sites such as Volta Research, and the Safety Codes Officer — Energy Code Review Guide (PDF on this server). The Energy Navigator 9.36 platform will add extensive linked resources over time, organized so they stay regionally relevant (province, adoption, and local amendments).
A licensed EnerGuide Energy Advisor (through Natural Resources Canada) is not automatically the same as training focused on energy code compliance for your jurisdiction. The Canadian Association of Certified Energy Advisors (CACEA) is a practical place to verify credentials and professional qualifications for energy modellers. For permit review, focus on whether the submission clearly shows the correct compliance pathway and includes the documentation required for that pathway.
Building officials may also use the Safety Codes Officer — Energy Code Review Guide (PDF), which expands on these themes and common red flags.
Sol Invictus Energy Services publishes how it uses artificial intelligence and other digital tools — including human oversight, transparency, data protection, and accountability — in its Digital Tools Policy (Responsible AI & technology use).