Connect your project to gas
Planning how to add, move, remove or upgrade gas service at your construction or renovation site can help your project run smoothly. Plus, you may qualify for financial incentives for installing gas piping and appliances in your development.
Interested in Renewable Natural Gas for your project?
Renewable Natural Gas1 (RNG) is a lower carbon energy2 that can help lower overall emissions. Adding RNG to North America’s gas system doesn’t require homes or businesses to make any changes or retrofits to existing gas appliances or equipment.
Most FortisBC gas customers have a portion of their natural gas designated as RNG, known as designated RNG blend. FortisBC is the first energy utility in North America to automatically designate RNG to customers. We also have a voluntary RNG program, and signing up is simple. Customers can designate five, 10, 25, 50 or 100 per cent of the natural gas they use as RNG.
Plan for construction
We have online service request tools to help you find out if gas is available at your location, get a cost estimate for installation and schedule your service.
Our online service request tool. | |
A service line and meter must be installed to connect the building to a gas main. Contractors requesting service on behalf of a homeowner can submit the request under their company name, and then the homeowner will need to open a new FortisBC account after installation is complete. Please allow for at least three to six weeks of lead time. Some requests may take longer or require more planning. |
If you’re demolishing a building and need to have your gas service removed or moved due to grade changes or renovations, contact us as soon as possible to request moving or removing a gas line. We’ll need two to six weeks for service removal requests, or six to eight weeks for moves. The process may take longer if more planning is required. |
If you’re adding gas appliances that will increase the amount of gas being used, call us at 1-888-224-2710 to request a larger meter or different sized regulator. We’ll need to know the gas fitter’s name and phone number, the delivery pressure required, and the total load in British Thermal Units (BTU). We’ll determine your needs and let you know the process and timeline. |
This program allows builders and developers to work directly with an approved design and engineering service provider and an approved civil contractor on the design and installation of gas mains and services. This can help projects move forward faster and could save you time and money. |
Tools for building with gas
Connecting your development to gas can help you save construction costs and offer your customers the comfort and convenience of gas appliances.
Give your customers the option of adding gas appliances later by installing piping in your development before the walls are finished. For example, consider pre-piping to the kitchen, living room or a quick connect on the patio to make it easy for them to add a range, fireplace or gas barbecue. |
We offer piping and individual metering for secondary suites and multi-unit residential building (e.g. condos) with gas appliances in each suite. Suite metering allows you to include the comforts and convenience of gas in your home or development, and you or your customers won’t have to subsidize your neighbours’ or tenants’ energy use.
Suite metering gives landlords and tenants control over their own energy usage. | |
Compared to a common meter for the whole building, suite metering gives homeowners in multi-unit residential buildings control over their own utility costs. |
Most energy used in the home goes toward space and water heating.
If you include gas appliances in your development, contact an energy solutions manager to order marketing materials that highlight the benefits to your customers.
Find out which gas space heating system is right for your development. | |
Learn which gas water heater system is right for your development. |
We’re here to help
If you have questions about getting gas service for your project, contact an energy solutions manager or call us at 1-888-224-2710 (choose Construction Services), Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
1Renewable Natural Gas (also called “RNG”) is produced from biogas at dedicated RNG production facilities. Biogas is derived from decomposing organic waste at landfills or agricultural and other organic waste such as wastewater from treatment facilities. The biogas is captured, upgraded and processed to create RNG that is added to existing energy infrastructure. This means we’re unable to direct RNG to a specific customer. However, because RNG displaces conventional natural gas, the more RNG that is added to the gas system, the less conventional natural gas is used.
2FortisBC uses the term lower carbon energy to refer collectively to electricity and the lower carbon gases or fuels that the utility can produce, use and/or acquire under the Greenhouse Gas Reduction (Clean Energy) Regulation (“Regulation”). The Regulation identifies different sources of electricity and gas that are prescribed based on their feedstock and production processes. FortisBC’s lower carbon energy portfolio includes Renewable Natural Gas (also called “RNG”) and electricity. Other gases and fuels may be added to the portfolio over time. FortisBC’s lower carbon energy portfolio is lower carbon when compared to conventional natural gas.
