We take as a truism the idea that individuals can make a difference in the fight against climate change. And while individuals do have the ability to make a proportional impact, we’re much more effective when we work as a team. When it comes to building, that effectiveness has been demonstrated by the big gains green community projects have made in recent years. This article will explore what sustainable communities are, where to find them, and what to look for if you’re thinking of moving to one.
What are Sustainable Communities?
Sustainable community, like the term sustainability itself, means a whole host of things, depending on who you ask and what their priorities are. In building, the term can be and has been applied to all kinds of housing developments that promote environmental sustainability, economic sustainability, community vibrancy and culture and many other determinants of community vitality.
“‘Sustainable Communities,’” say David V. J. Bell and Michelle Grinstein, “are communities that use their resources to meet current needs while ensuring that adequate resources are available for future generations; they seek a better quality of life for their residents while maintaining nature’s ability to function over time. This involves a reconciliation of ecological, social and economic imperatives.”
In practice, this might mean an eco-village, an off-grid community, a residential housing development with higher than average efficiency standards, a multi-unit residential building (MURB) using advanced technology to meet LEED standards, or a grassroots community movement pressing their local governments for green policy changes.
What Makes a Purpose-Built Community Sustainable?
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Energy Planning
Some purpose-built green communities are constructed around a single factor, such as community renewable energy systems. Drake Landing Solar Community (DLSC) in Okotoks, Alberta, for example, is a planned neighbourhood that focused on using solar technology to meet the community’s space heating needs.
It was the first in North America to do so, meeting 100% of the community’s space heating requirements over the 2015-16 winter season. From 2012-16, 96% of the community’s needs were met, on average. In addition to other green community initiatives, DLSC’s homes are also built to be 30% more efficient than homes built to code.
A Holistic Approach
A multivalent approach to sustainability is key to other sustainable communities. Edmonton’s Blatchford community, still in development, accounts for sustainability in a number of key areas. Residential buildings feature the technology we’ve come to expect from green homes – high-performing insulation, windows, plumbing fixtures and appliances, as well as a tighter building envelope. It also promises more advanced technology like heat recovery ventilators, along with waste-reduction practices during construction.
Blatchford also incorporates several features that integrate the community more closely. Community gardens and orchards, edible landscaping, collective rainwater harvesting, and a district energy sharing system based on geothermal energy mark the community as thinking holistically about what sustainability means.
Certifications
Other communities are planned with green certifications in mind. Toronto’s waterfront Bayside community was developed to LEED® Gold standards. One of its residential buildings, the Aqualina condo development, was constructed with an eye to attaining LEED® Platinum Certification, and was the first high-rise condo in Toronto to receive that award.
The mixed-use community, part of Waterfront Toronto’s revitalization project, incorporates solar energy, green roofs, community parks and gardens, neighbourhood wifi, and a Net Zero suite at the top of the Aqualina building.
Social and Environmental Sustainability
Some projects are built to provide green solutions while targeting other issues like housing inequities and sky-high energy bills. Yale Nation, in Agassiz, British Columbia, has used modular Passive House projects to address the housing crisis that plagues First Nations communities, as well as to cut the enormous energy costs associated with inadequate housing.
Attached townhomes were built in modules at a facility in Agassiz, speeding construction, reducing construction waste and allowing for a tighter building envelope. The townhomes are expected to be 80% more energy efficient than conventionally-built homes, and to produce 80% fewer emissions.
Where are Sustainable Communities Located?
These are just a few examples among many. Sustainable communities can be found in many regions in Canada, in rural, suburban and urban spaces. You might expect to find sustainable communities clustered around Canada’s largest urban centres, but they’re scattered across the country. To find one near you, you can talk to your realtor, look at lists of projects on the LEED® and Passive House websites or do some internet research.
What to Look for in a Sustainable Community
If you’re thinking of making the move to a sustainable community, your first step should be to find a realtor who has experience in green housing. Not every realtor does. But if living in an eco-friendly community is important to you, you’ll want an expert who knows the housing situation and the green builders in your area.
You and your realtor can assess the community’s buildings to determine whether they’ve been constructed with environmental sustainability in mind. You might look for such green building features as:
- Airtight construction
- Natural building materials and methods
- High attention to energy performance
- Fixtures and systems that reduce water waste
- Low to zero-VOC materials
- Waste diversion practices during construction
- Minimal impact on the surrounding environment
But what about when you’re looking at a whole community? There are many questions you could ask of your realtor, of the seller or of the builder whose development you’re considering:
- What does sustainability mean for this community?
- What does the developer think “community” looks like?
- How does the community infrastructure support the builder’s (and your) idea of community?
- What green building features has it incorporated?
- What shared resources and spaces does it offer?
- Is the community certified to a standard?
- Has the builder ever completed a certified home or project before?
- What kind of testing is or has been done to measure the performance of the building or community?
- Are there performance reports that back up any green claims made by the developer or the home seller?
- If the home is already built, can you see the utility bills?
The most important thing if you’re looking for a sustainable community to live in is to do your research. Talk to as many experts as you can, and make sure the development aligns with your values—it will, after all, be your community.
Feature image: Providence Doucet; Image 1: David McBee
