Measuring Sustainability Performance of New Development in Brampton, Richmond Hill and Vaughan
Type of initiative
FCM Green Municipal Fund - Plans, Studies, Pilots
Sector
Multi-sector (Plans)
Project value$230,400
Project Type
Feasibility Study
Sub Sector
Sustainable Regions
Grant amount$85,000
Program type
GMF
Municipality
City of Brampton, ON
Status
Fully Disbursed
Population
656,480
Project timeline
2011 - 2013
Project number
10337
Description
The cities of Brampton, Richmond Hill and Vaughan will conduct a community-based study and develop sustainability guidelines that will inform the review processes their municipal councils use to review new development and redevelopment projects.
Phase 1, led by the City of Brampton, will entail research and the development of recommendations for sustainability guidelines. The guidelines will determine appropriate metrics and suitable minimums for building energy efficiency, passive energy conservation, water efficiency, local heat island mitigation, and low impact development standards. They will also identify performance indicators to ensure reductions in energy consumption and GHG emissions, as well as for water conservation, commuting distances and waste diversion.
Phase 2, led by the City of Vaughan, will test the proposed metrics to ensure that they result in measureable decreases to energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. The city’s consultant will conduct workshops with municipal staff to recommend the most suitable performance measures and forecast the results of using these measures consistently throughout the municipalities.
The consultants will then coordinate an external peer review of the recommendations and write a final report. The final report will be submitted to the city councils, which will adopt the guidelines and/or identify items to incorporate into existing guidelines.
The project is expected to reduce the ecological impact of new development and redevelopment projects, and result in measureable decreases in energy consumption and greenhouse emissions in the municipalities. The metrics developed through the study will also help the municipalities to monitor changes in factors such as water and vehicle use, waste generation and renewable energy production.
(Project description from original funding application)
Applicant
City of Brampton, ON