Emerald Hills Sustainable Urban Neighborhood (SUN) Planning Project

Building upon the success of its Center-in-the-Park sustainable town centre project, Strathcona County will collaborate with Christenson Developments Ltd on the Emerald Hills Urban Village project, a sustainable urban neighborhood. The developer will use the Sustainable Urban Neighborhood Holistic Planning Process (SUN HPP), endorsed by Natural Resources Canada. The SUN HPP is a seven phase planning methodology for developing a complete and integrated implementation plan for achieving neighbourhood-scale sustainability. It takes a systems approach to sustainable community development by integrating social, environmental, economic, and cultural strategies into the planning process. It provides also a methodology for anticipating potential barriers and conflicts. Fostering sustainable behavior through community-based social marketing (CBSM) techniques is integral to the SUN HPP approach. The project’s goal is to demonstrate that demand-side approaches to municipal services and infrastructure result in smaller scale and lower costs than current development patterns and can foster long-term sustainable lifestyles. An important result will be an increased awareness by all stakeholders of the economic, environmental and social benefits of this type of growth. A toolkit of guiding ideas, institutional frameworks, engagement processes and practical tools for developers and municipal planners will be produced.