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Navigating Energy Codes: Stories from Indigenous Builders

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A webinar hosted by ECO Canada | Code Acceleration for Indigenous Communities Project

Overview

What does it really take to build safe, energy-efficient homes in Indigenous communities across Canada? That was the heart of this candid, community-centred conversation, hosted by ECO Canada as part of its Code Acceleration for Indigenous Communities project.

The webinar brought together three community builders each at different stages of their journey with the National Building Code (NBC) and the National Energy Code for Buildings (NECB). The speakers shared their firsthand experiences: the obstacles they’ve hit, the wins they’ve celebrated, and the lessons they want to pass on.

Far from a technical lecture, this session was a real talk about real homes; homes where families are dealing with mold, failing foundations, poor air quality, and sky-high heating bills. The webinar also focused on what changes when communities take ownership of how those homes are built.

The Code Acceleration for Indigenous Communities Project

ECO Canada’s Code Acceleration project was born out of a simple but powerful observation: when Indigenous communities follow building and energy codes, homes last longer and cost less to run. The challenge is that navigating those codes, especially in remote, northern, or under-resourced communities, is anything but simple.

The project offers two key resources to help:

A comprehensive toolkit (~500 pages) covering both the NBC and NECB in an Indigenous context, adapted for different climate zones across Canada, including guidance on windows, insulation, framing, and case studies from real builds and retrofits.
A training series of six courses: one online introduction and five in-person sessions delivered directly in communities. Topics include understanding both codes, applying them in Indigenous contexts, communicating with stakeholders, conducting audits, and advocating for sustainability leadership.

Meet the Speakers

Savannah Lobsinger

Head of Housing and Infrastructure, Matachewan First Nation (Northeastern Ontario)

Hired in September 2024 as the very first Housing Coordinator for Matachewan First Nation, Savannah built the department from scratch — with a background in teaching and tourism. Since then she has brought in two homes, has plans for five new builds, and recently completed ECO Canada’s in-community energy training.

Chantelle Kechego

Community Energy Coordinator, Chippewas of the Thames First Nation (Southwestern Ontario)

A proud member of her Nation, mother, and grandmother, Chantelle came to energy work through Indigenous Clean Energy’s Bringing It Home program. She has led energy audits across her community’s housing stock, piloted a near net-zero home retrofit, and grown her team by mentoring two youth interns.

Ostap Kaminskyy

On-Reserve Housing & School Maintenance Training Program Manager, Kiijiway Tribal Council (Southwest Manitoba)

With 20+ years in construction, project management, and business, Ostap brings a systems-level view to Indigenous housing. His tribal council serves five communities and 44 schools across half of Manitoba, and he is a passionate advocate for standards-based building and professional development.

Key Themes from the Discussion

1. The True Cost of Not Following Codes

Across all three communities, the pattern was the same: homes built to the bare minimum or with no code oversight at all costs far more in the long run. Mold, moisture, failing foundations, blocked attic vents, and broken HRV systems were common findings.

“When it comes to codes, some of these houses are built to the bare minimum. You know, let’s just get it done. And that’s where it costs more to maintain these homes because they’re not built right the first time.”

— Chantelle Kechego

“Once it’s built by the code, you have nothing to worry about most of the time. It makes it so much easier to maintain and so much cheaper as well.”

— Ostap Kaminskyy

2. Health Is the Bottom Line

For all three speakers, energy codes weren’t primarily about energy; they were about people’s health. Crawl spaces full of mold. Elderly residents breathing in contaminated air without knowing it. Children living in duplexes with blocked attic vents and unchecked moisture.

“If the home is healthy, our people are healthy, and typically healthy people are happier. I want to see better builds, better lasting homes so that all of our community members can have a healthy home to live in.”

— Savannah Lobsinger

“Going into crawl spaces, finding leaks and mold and moisture, that was very important to me. That’s what they’re breathing in. It’s the health and safety of the occupants in that home.”

— Chantelle Kechego

3. A Near Net-Zero Retrofit That Saved Over $1,000 a Year

One of the webinar’s most tangible moments came when Chantelle described a pilot project at Chippewas of the Thames: a single home upgraded with draft-proofing, a new HRV system, solar panels, and a heat pump, all aligned to energy code standards.

“After over a year of collecting data, she’s saving over $1,000 on her utility bills now because this home was done right to the energy code. There are no leaks, no mold, no moisture. It is built tight and ventilated right. She loves it. I’d love to see that within all First Nations, anywhere in Canada.”

— Chantelle Kechego

The community is aiming to eliminate propane and diesel heating entirely and transition to heat pumps across more homes, part of a broader push toward net zero.

4. Inspections Are Non-Negotiable

All three speakers returned to the same point: inspections not just at the end, but throughout construction are essential. The three recommended checkpoints are pre-backfill, pre-drywall, and a final walkthrough.

“The inspections are so important. It’s important to follow through and know what to look for because people forget stuff; people make mistakes. If there’s more than one person who can overlook things, the more chances we have to fix them before they become a huge problem.”

— Savannah Lobsinger

“There are some shady builders that are only there to make money. Quality control is not just for control; it’s that people can miss things; people can forget things. No construction company should stick their shovel in the ground before stamped drawings are approved.”

— Ostap Kaminskyy

5. Communities Must Be at the Design Table

Ostap was direct on this point: Indigenous communities are too often excluded from the design stage of their own housing projects, and that’s where problems start. Cultural specifics, family compositions, and climate needs should all be factored in before a single line is drawn.

“I’m always advocating for all our First Nations to be involved in the design stage, which normally does not happen. It depends on who it’s built for: a younger family, older family, or 55-plus. All of that should be discussed beforehand.”

— Ostap Kaminskyy

6. Building Capacity From Within

Rather than relying on outside contractors and consultants, all three speakers emphasized the importance of growing knowledge and skills within their own communities, including youth.

“Building that capacity within our own Nation is very important to us. To see our young people do house assessments, learn how to put the blower door test up, they are our future leaders. That’s the next generation carrying these things forward.”

— Chantelle Kechego

“Some communities in the north are implementing these programs in schools so kids will know how to operate every appliance in a house. If those kids know how to use cell phones and tablets, they can learn this too. When they get their first house, they’ll know how to use it properly.”

— Ostap Kaminskyy

7. Net Zero Is Coming, Be Ready

Ostap noted that net-zero and net-zero-ready requirements are not a distant future, they are arriving soon. The communities that invest in training and code compliance now will be far better positioned than those who wait.

“The world is moving, and Canada is as well, net zero and net-zero ready. That’s going to happen very shortly. Resources that we take from this planet are not unlimited. And the houses we build shouldn’t last 10 to 15 years. They should last 50 to 60 years. That’s what they are built for.”

— Ostap Kaminskyy

Key Takeaways

Following energy codes directly improves health outcomes: mold, moisture, and poor air quality are preventable with proper construction.
A well-built home costs less over time: one retrofit pilot saved a resident more than $1,000 per year in utility bills.
Three inspections: pre-backfill, pre-drywall, and final walkthrough are the minimum needed on every build.
Communities must be involved in design decisions, not just construction execution.
Training is widely available, often free or subsidized for First Nations, and is the single most powerful investment a housing department can make.
Mentoring youth and building internal capacity creates long-term, self-sustaining community expertise.

Hear directly from the speakers in this short video: https://youtu.be/k8igmeL4SNU