The construction of townhouses and buildings under six storeys is the focus of a staff report recommending updates to the city's building bylaw in order to lower energy use and greenhouse gas consumption.
"The updates are envelope focused, meaning walls, windows, doors and roofs as opposed to fuel focused," said Chris Higgins, green building planner with the city of Vancouver.
The report recommends that the current width of outside walls be increased by an inch-and-a-half so more insulation can be added to the structure.
The proposal is part of the city's plan to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions from new constructions by 2030.