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Toronto Green Standard |
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What's new:
Toronto Green Standard Update
On October 27, 2009 City Council adopted the revised Toronto Green Standard. The Standard will come into effect for new planning applications on January 31, 2010. A staff report presents the revised two-tiered Green Standard for new construction. Three versions of the TGS are now available online each relating to different building types:
The Toronto Green Standard Checklist will be available soon!
Development Charge Refund
As of May 1, 2009, Site Plan applications that meet both Tier 1 and 2 of the Toronto Green Standard are eligible for a refund of 20% of the Development Charges paid to the City. Applications will be available from this website December 1, 2009. The Development Charge By-law was approved by Council in February 2009. If you are interested in learning more about the DC Refund, contact sustainablecity@toronto.ca.
Toronto Green Development Standard: Cost - Benefit Study
The University of Toronto Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design (al&d) undertook
a cost-benefit analysis of the Toronto Green Standard in 2008 for the City of Toronto. The study was undertaken for City of Toronto, in partnership with Ontario Centres of Excellence, and with funding from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities Green Municipal Fund. The study looks at the costs versus savings of implementing green development.
Guidelines for the Design and Management of Bicycle Parking Facilities
These draft guidelines provide specific information that planners, developers and property managers can use to improve the quality of bicycle parking that is secured through the City's development approval process. The Guidelines will help new developments to meet Official Plan policies and environmental targets of the Toronto Green Development Standard.
'Greening' surface parking lots
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The draft Design Guidelines for 'Greening' Surface Parking Lots provide specific strategies to green parking lots. These measures, which developers, designers and reviewers of surface parking lots can apply to help meet Official Plan policies and environmental performance targets of the Toronto Green Standard, as well as other applicable City standards, policies and guidelines.
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Design guidance related to the environmental performance targets of the Green Standard includes:
- planting more trees and using good soil quality and generous landscaped areas to reduce large expanses of unshaded asphalt which contribute to the urban heat island effect
- improving pedestrian and cycling infrastructure
- using energy efficient fixtures and recycled materials
- managing stormwater run-off on-site
Toronto needs a Green Standard
Toronto Green Standard (TGS) is about designing sites and buildings that are more environmentally friendly. Achieving the performance targets set-out in the Toronto Green Standard will improve air and water quality, reduce green house gas emissions and enhance the natural environment.
Toronto, like all built up areas experiences the environmental impacts of urbanization including the deterioration of air and water quality, loss of habitat and produces large volumes of solid waste. Toronto's various environmental pressures along with the recognition that Toronto's buildings and sites play an important role in determining the quality of environment in which we live have given rise to the desire for Toronto to have a green standard.
Toronto needs a green standard to address:
- Air quality and climate change
- Energy use and greenhouse gas emissions reductions
- Water quality and quantity controls
- Solid waste management
- Protecting the urban forest and wildlife habitat
- Reducing light pollution and bird collisions with buildings
- Economic and social health
The Toronto Green Development Standard Background
The Toronto Green Development Standard  was first adopted by Council in 2006 and was tested, revised and adopted again by Council in 2008. The Standard is a "made-in-Toronto" approach that integrates existing City guidelines. The Toronto Standard is complementary to green building rating systems such as LEED and BOMA Go Green, but it emphasizes the City's priorities and regional policy context to ensure that when there is a desire to "build green" in Toronto, local environmental objectives are met.
Discussion paper
The Discussion paper on Toronto Green Development Standard laid the groundwork for the adoption of the Standard. It covers several topics, including the rationale for green development, a description of the process to develop the Standard, compatibility with other popular green rating standards, and possible next steps. This document will be of interest to those who want to gain an in-depth understanding the City's approach to green development.
The Discussion paper is broken into the following sections:
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