Topic: Land use and Transportation

Sustainability Checklist

A Measuring Stick of the Community’s Sustainability Values

The purpose of a Sustainability Checklist is to encourage new development that supports and advances community sustainability objectives. It is a measuring stick for staff and council/board to ensure development proceeds in accordance with the community’s sustainability values.

A Sustainability Checklist is a non-regulatory tool. It provides local governments with the ability to influence the approvals process in order to meet their sustainability and climate change objectives. A checklist is usually custom-made by each jurisdiction to meet their goals. It is however, useful to review other local government Sustainability Checklists  and consult Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standard forms to get a sense of what will work for your community.

Normally, local governments require development and building permit applicants to complete a checklist as part of the approvals process. A Sustainability Checklist can be a separate checklist, or can be integrated into an existing development or building checklist. Once the Sustainability Checklist has been completed, staff and the developer discuss the results, and if necessary, explore ways to improve performance in relation to sustainability objectives.

A Sustainability Checklist can include a scoring system (numerical, weighted, or letter-graded) to advise development applicants about how their project proposal fares in relation to the stated sustainability objectives on the Sustainability Checklist.

Some local governments use a Sustainability Checklist as an incentive tool, tying a high score on the Sustainability Checklist to rewards like Tax Exemption, Development Cost Charges (DCC) reduction, Parking relaxation, and Application Fast-tracking.

Creating a sustainability checklist

The process of creating a Sustainability Checklist is usually led by local government staff. Items on the Sustainability Checklist are based on Official Community Plan (OCP) objectives for sustainable development, and generally include considerations about site layout and location within the community, as well as, building design. A council/board resolution generally authorizes the use of a Sustainability Checklist.

Using a sustainability checklist in the development application/approval process

  • Developers complete the Sustainability Checklist as part of their pre-application discussion with staff, or submit it with their development application.
  • Staff and the applicant discuss the proposed development’s score on the Sustainability Checklist, and identify how the proposal could be more sustainable.
  • The Council/Board/Staff receives the Sustainability Checklist for review when considering development approval.

Opportunities for climate change action

A Sustainability Checklist can help local governments creatively leverage development to reduce community emissions. A Sustainability Checklist can combine land use criteria and buildings criteria.

Land Use

  • A Sustainability Checklist can be used to implement, at a site level, policy objectives and targets for climate change action that relate to land use and urban design, which are articulated in the OCP and/or Neighbourhood Plans.
  • Local governments can fine-tune the incentive tool so that it entices new development to deliver on priorities in specific areas of town, e.g. new catalyst developments in existing neighbourhoods with lower land value, green development features, and/or non-market housing units.
  • The Green Building Council’s LEED criteria may be a useful resource for evaluating larger development proposals that propose a new development at the neighbourhood scale.

Buildings

  • When performance on a Sustainability Checklist is linked to an incentive tool, local governments can reward developers’ decision to use green building elements and life cycle costing. By giving the developer an up-front financial reward (through whichever applicable means) the local government is helping to offset the slightly higher up-front cost to install green development features (average 2 to 5% premium), which will pay dividends in the longer-term to occupants.
  • Local governments may use Development Permit Areas (DPAs) in order to promote energy and water conservation, and the reduction of emissions. The regulation of energy and water conservation and emissions reduction within buildings is under the BC Building Code. A Sustainability Checklist is a non-regulatory tool that can encourage building energy efficiency that goes beyond the requirements of the BC Building Code and beyond what can be covered by DPAs, e.g. in the areas of plumbing, appliances, glazing, lighting, heating and cooling systems.
  • A Sustainability Checklist can be based on the Canada Green Building Council’s LEED rating system for various types of buildings: commercial and institutional (NC.1), multiple unit residential buildings (‘MURB’s), single family dwellings, and retrofits.
  • Since permits for new single family dwellings and retrofits follow a different administrative application process, local governments have developed distinct checklists for single family dwelling applications. The purpose is to encourage homebuilders to construct more energy efficient dwellings that contribute to the local government’s sustainability goals and emissions reduction targets. Local governments would distribute Sustainability Checklists to building permit applicants for voluntary completion and submission. There is an opportunity to link exceptional ratings on building checklists to local government incentives.

Transportation

Example checklists:

Third party rating systems:

Sustainability Block

A Sustainability Block is a showcase for innovative approaches to energy efficient and smart growth development. It provides an opportunity for a local government to experiment with innovative infrastructure, sustainable design and energy efficiency initiatives at the block scale.

Ideally, a Sustainability Block would act as a catalyst for further sustainable development within the community.

A Sustainability Block can contribute to a climate action strategy by incorporating Community Energy Planning projects, such as District Energy, Renewable Energy/Electricity, alternative fuel supply and Building Energy Efficiency. as well as smart growth concepts such as pedestrian-friendly streetscapes, parking management, a transportation hub and greenspace. Sustainability blocks reduce GHG emissions primarily through a reduction in vehicle kilometres travelled and an increase in building efficiency.

Through collaboration among local government, the developer and other stakeholders, the process builds practical green development know-how, which can be applied to future projects.

The Keys to a Better Block

When pursuing the development of a Sustainability Block, consider the following:

  • Strategic location:
  • Brownfield sites
  • Areas pre-zoned for high densities
  • “Gateway” or high-visibility locations
  • Areas targeted for redevelopment
  • A developer willing to explore concepts supporting a sustainability block
  • Skills and knowledge that would be easily transferable to other projects in the community

Sustainability Features

Each Sustainability Block will vary depending on the community context and the types of opportunities available. However, key sustainability features that any Sustainability Block should consider include:

  • Higher density development, which supports transit and commercial land use.
  • Mixed-use development, making it easier for people to walk and cycle to work, school, and shops.
  • A connected and permeable street network, such as a grid, which improves travel efficiency, is more adaptive to different land uses and building forms.
  • A walkable, quality public realm, with streets that are safe, comfortable and visually interesting.
  • Alternative Transportation/Transportation Demand Management, which improves travel mode choice.
  • High-performance buildings, to reduce levels of GHG and air emissions, energy, water and materials consumption, and liquid and solid waste generation.
  • A district energy system, to improve a block’s energy self-sufficiency and efficiency. These systems can often use renewable energy sources such as geo-thermal, biomass, solar, or wind.
  • Integrated Stormwater Management, in which rainwater run-off can be used for irrigation, and cleaned by means of natural filtration before discharge.

Examples

Still at the concept stage, the Squamish Sustainability Block is intended to showcase innovative design for streetscapes, landscapes, and technologies. Some of the features planned for the Squamish Sustainability Block include district energy, renewable energy and electricity, building energy efficiency, a transportation hub and innovative parking management. The project is intended to be a model for development in downtown Squamish and will contribute to revitalization of the town centre. For more information, see Squamish Sustainability Block PPT presentation to District of Squamish, 2008.

Located on West 4th Avenue, in Vancouver, the Capers Block is a redevelopment of a former auto dealership on an urban high street. The development is medium density (2.5 FSR) and mixes retail, commercial and residential uses. Building energy efficiency features include filtered water systems, garbage recycling programs, and a double-wall rain screen for durability & noise reduction. Geothermal energy is used for heating & cooling in all units. For more information, see Capers Block.

Located in the West End of downtown Vancouver, Mole Hill is a comprehensive example of a sustainability block. Through the redevelopment and restoration of 27 heritage homes, density was increased without substantially altering the character of the neighbourhood. Units are heated by a district energy system using geothermal energy and heat exchange pumps. Other sustainability features include non-market housing (about 50%, or 170 units), a mid-block green link, community gardens, and four dedicated car share parking spaces.

Integrated Community Sustainability Planning

Apply Sustainability Principles in your Community

An Integrated Community Sustainability Plan (ICSP) is any existing or new long-term plan, developed in consultation with community members, to help the community realize sustainability objectives within environmental, cultural, social and economic dimensions of its identity.

Background

Integrated Community Sustainability Planning is a provincial initiative which originated from the 2005 Federal/Provincial/UBCM Federal Gas Tax Agreement (GTA). It ties in very closely with provincial interests to address climate change and encourage the development of healthier, less costly and more sustainable communities. The ICSP Initiative goes well beyond the funding opportunities of the GTA. It promotes the development of partnerships within government and beyond to support the growth of community sustainability planning throughout the province over the long-term.

ICSP encourages communities to take a fresh look at their future and find ways to become more sustainable. With ICSP, communities can envision, plan and implement actions to secure their long-term well-being. ICSP builds on existing planning tools. It could be applying sustainability principles to a whole new plan, or to the type of planning a community already has. It provides a framework that helps communities plan for their own needs while ensuring that the needs of future generations are also met.

Principles

Many communities in and beyond BC have identified a vision for sustainability and are engaging in ICSP processes. These innovative planning approaches emphasize:

Long-term thinking – planning and/or plans are future oriented to enhance community sustainability (e.g. communities address the need to become resilient in the face of changing circumstances).

Broad in scope– planning or plans consider the communities’ economic environmental, social and/or cultural sustainability.

Integration – planning processes or plans reflect a co-ordinated approach to enhance community sustainability through linkages between different types of plans or planning activities.

Collaboration – planning processes engage community members and other partners to support community sustainability (e.g. First Nations, neighbouring communities, NGOs, private sector, other levels of government).

Public engagement and education – designing processes that enhance public input into planning processes.

Implementation – keeping plans off the shelf and putting them into action

Monitoring and evaluation – setting targets and tracking results to celebrate progress and focus efforts on areas that need the most improvement.

Concept

The following describes how the Ministry of Community & Rural Development’s (MCD) ICSP initiative is a long-term plan to support community sustainability.

The inner circle of Figure 1 identifies the various components of community sustainability as well as the processes local governments are encouraged to engage in. The outer circle recognizes what others can do (e.g. provincial and federal governments, and the private sector) to support local governments with their ICSP processes.

At the heart of community sustainability are sustainability principles that recognize the need to balance social, environmental, economic, and cultural interests. These are closely connected to:

  • Integrating plans (e.g. linking land use designations to the impact on water supply and transportation)
  • Aligning internal operations to ensure that the local government itself is a leader in sustainability (e.g. the local government operation embraces sustainability principles to guide its policies, regulations, purchasing practices and internal programs).
  • Engaging with community partners and citizens to reinforce sustainability goals (e.g. harnessing the synergies of other programs such as BC Healthy Communities Initiative, the Mountain Pine Beetle Program, Community Action on Energy Efficiency and the Real Estate Foundation’s Communities in Transition program).

ICSP extends to implementation. It challenges communities to ensure that sustainability principles are carried forward into identified strategies and actions. Measuring and monitoring these actions is one further step in the implementation actions.

The outer ring in Figure 1 identifies the actions that need to be taken at levels beyond local governments. It recognizes the need for leadership and vision from senior governments, for collaboration within and between governments and the private sector, and for support for the development of capacity-building tools.

Community Examples

For a comprehensive list of sustainability plan examples from across BC visit FBC’s Smart Planning for Communities page (in the Resources ‘e-binder’ section) and Canadian Sustainability Plan Inventory website.

The ICSP Process

Integrated Community Sustainability Planning can involve a continuum of three phases; Assessment, Core Planning and Implementation.

Assessment/Preparing

The Assessment/Preparing phase can involve a number of different activities from education of the community, staff and local government elected officials to assessment of planning capacity and what is needed to move ahead with ICSP. An ICSP community assessment enables local governments to develop a sense of where they are with current planning and what their capacity is to move forward with ICSP. It allows them to determine their gaps and where they need to start in order to move ahead.

Some communities might start by educating staff and council about sustainability; others might determine ways to ensure their planning processes are more integrated. MCRD has designed a template to help local governments to identify where to begin in this first phase. GTA funding up to $5000 is available to do a community assessment.

Consult the Capacity-Building and ICSP program guide on the UBCM website for information on how to apply for community assessment funding.

Core Planning

The Core Planning phase can be approached two ways: develop a sustainability plan OR apply sustainability thinking /principles to existing plans and policy documents. For several examples of processes and plans visit the Smart Planning E-Binder.

Implementation

The Implementation phase moves plans into action and ensures that plans and actions remain fresh and relevant over time. Beyond the application of a sustainability planning “lens,” local governments are demonstrating that current decision-making frameworks and/or administrative processes may need to be revised to ensure successful implementation of new approaches. Improved governance is one. A number of communities in BC are developing Sustainability Checklists, measures and indicators to help guide decision-making.

Smart Planning for Communities

Smart Planning for Communities (SPC), a program of the Fraser Basin Council, is a BC- wide, collaborative initiative providing resources and tools to local and First Nations governments for planning socially, culturally, economically and environmentally sustainable communities.

Contact us for further information.

Car share

Community Car Share

Member Mobility

While different forms have emerged around the world, a community car share essentially involves an organized group of participants (usually required to be members) with one or more self-accessing shared vehicles, the usage of which is booked in advance for short periods of time. Typically, users are required to be members.

Car Sharing in Smaller Communities

While car sharing is highly concentrated in major urban areas, numerous examples exist outside of cities. In many ways, the organization and operation is closely linked to differing geographic context and target market.

Smaller and more rural communities tend to have a high degree of personal involvement by members, in some cases by volunteers. Studies have shown that a local champion is more important in making rural car sharing feasible than factors such as extensive public transportation. [1] Other smaller communities share administration with a parent organization.

Organizational Structure

Three main types of car sharing organizations (CSOs) dominate the North American market. For-profit CSOs are privately held companies. Non-profit CSOs are incorporated as tax-exempt organizations. Cooperative CSOs are run by members that join by purchasing a “share” in the organization, which essentially acts the same as refundable deposits used by for-profit and non-profit operators. [1]

Government Operation

Most car share programs are run separately from the government, however many in Europe are run by transit agencies.

Local government agencies are ideal partners in setting up or becoming partners in a community car share program. They have multiple goals beyond reducing GHG emissions, such as reducing congestion and need for parking, that car sharing can help them achieve. Local governments also have a great deal of control over planning, transportation, and parking – each of which can help shape conditions that will lead to the success of car share programs. [1]

Customer Base

Most CSOs offer services for distinct personal and business users. Personal users join as an individual or a household and use the vehicles for personal use. Business users join to make car sharing vehicles available for employees. For the business, this can take the place of a fleet, taxi use, or personal auto reimbursement; replace employee parking; and provide incentives not to drive to work. Research has shown that the second most popular reason for driving to work is to run errands [1]. Making car share vehicles available for employee use can eliminate the need for that employee to drive to work and increase their overall job satisfaction.

Pricing

Most CSOs use a combination of the following payment methods:

  • Per hour reserved
  • Per kilometer driven
  • Monthly or annual administration charge
  • Application fee
  • Penalty fees
  • Refundable deposit or credit check [1]

Vehicles

Most CSOs provide a core fleet of four-door compact cars. Larger fleets provide specialty vehicles as well, such as pickup trucks or higher-end vehicles. Clean-fuel technology, particularly hybrid technology, has become increasingly popular lately due to increased fuel-economy compared to conventionally fueled vehicles. [1] Using these vehicles obviously increases the GHG reductions achieved by implementing a community car share program.

Benefits

Community car share programs lead to:

  • Reduced vehicle ownership
  • Reduced vehicle kilometres travelled
  • Reduced traffic
  • Reduced parking demand
  • Increase in public transportation use
  • Increase in individual and household’s ability to access an automobile
  • Greater mobility
  • More efficient land use

Community Examples

Community car share programs fit different communities in different ways.

There is no specific approach to setting up a community car share program. A different approach will work for each community and be dependent on numerous factors ranging from public transportation availability to housing density.

However, local governments have an important role to play due to the influence they have over land use and transportation. For example, the City of Vancouver has a parking by-law that allows developers to reduce parking for every car share car and experience benefits for themselves.

The report Car-Sharing: Where and How It Succeeds is an excellent resource for those looking to understand more about car sharing.

[1] Adam Millard-Ball, Gail Murray, Jessica ter Schure, Christine Fox, and Jon Burkhardt, (2005). Car-Sharing: Where and How It Succeeds. Transit Cooperative Research Program.

Civic building or office

Civic Green Buildings Policy

Leading the Way with Green Civic Buildings

A Civic Green Building Policy embodies a commitment by the local government to constructing all new civic facilities to a certain level of performance or standard. It may also include criteria for undertaking retrofits of existing civic buildings.

A Green Building Policy can address building energy and emissions performance, and can also demonstrate the local government’s commitment to sustainability, and provide leadership and guidance to encourage the application of green building practices in private sector development.

Community Examples

  • Regional District of Nanaimo green building policy features an Integrated Design Process (IDP) as the foundation for all new RDN construction and major renovations.
  • City of Coquitlam Building GHG Reduction Approach: A total of 39 energy conservation measures have been implemented since 2008, reducing building GHG emissions by 899 tonnes or approximately 13% of total corporate emissions, while simultaneously reducing energy costs by $175,000 annually.
  • City of North Vancouver: Energy Efficient Buildings Initiative was created as a comprehensive effort to encourage more energy efficient buildings throughout the City of North Vancouver and includes policies and programs for both new and existing buildings.

Implementing a Civic Green Building Policy

A Civic Green Building Policy puts in place requirements and targets that ensure new civic buildings will result in reduced energy consumption and emissions, and will be consistent with the community’s overall sustainability, climate and energy goals. It may also address energy and emissions upgrades for existing buildings.

In addition to energy efficiency, green buildings also provide benefits in terms of improved indoor environments (such as daylighting and air quality), and reduced environmental impacts such as water consumption and materials use. These benefits can potentially lead to improved employee productivity and reduced sick days.

As green building knowledge has progressed, the incremental costs to meet green building objectives have decreased. In many cases, green and/or energy efficient design can be achieved for minimal incremental cost, and can potentially reduce the building’s life cycle cost.

A green building policy can draw attention to and encourage sustainable construction practices and maximize opportunities for investing in features that can have a net economic benefit using a full cost accounting approach.

New buildings

A Green Building Policy for new buildings may include:

  • Building location considerations – for example, within the town centre to maximize access to the public that the building will serve, and transit services.
  • Energy performance targets, over and above minimum building code requirements – for example, X% better than ASHRAE 90.1
  • A requirement for certification or equivalent with a green building standard such as LEED® (LEED includes a minimum energy performance requirement)
  • Emissions performance and/or renewable energy targets
  • A commitment to life cycle costing analysis
  • Economic performance targets, such as a minimum return on investment using life cycle costing
  • Considerations for locating new buildings – for example, near employee residences, the public that the building will serve, and transit services – see building location guidelines for more information.

Existing buildings

For existing buildings, the policy may include:

  • A commitment to undertake building retrofits, or continue doing so
  • Criteria for determining whether an energy efficiency investment should be made, possibly linked to economic performance targets and/or building performance targets
  • A requirement for retrofit certification to meet LEED (e.g. LEED for Existing Buildings)

A civic Green Building Policy may also be included within a broader green building policy that addresses community buildings. However, the policy content for community buildings would typically focus on encouragement and incentives for the private sector, rather than requirements.

Additional Resources:

Regional Growth Strategy

Built on a platform of collaboration

A regional growth strategy (RGS) is a voluntary consensus-based regional land use planning policy document coordinated by a regional district for its member municipalities. It is developed collaboratively between local governments, with engagement of the province, First Nations, other public bodies, the public, business and community stakeholders, and addresses regional issues such as transportation, economic development, housing needs and settlement patterns. A regional growth strategy is initiated, developed, adopted, and implemented by the regional district in partnership and with the acceptance of all the municipalities and adjacent regional districts.

An RGS provides long-range sustainability planning direction for regional districts and municipal official community plans (OCPs) within regional districts and provides a platform for discussion related to the integration of provincial programs.

The regional growth strategies legislation identifies provincial goals which encourage an integrated sustainability perspective. A main objective is to avoid urban sprawl which is consistent with local government action on climate change.

RGS Goals

Section 428(2) of the Local Government Act sets out a comprehensive list of goal to which an RGS should work toward:

  • Avoiding urban sprawl and ensuring that development takes place where adequate facilities exist or can be provided in a timely, economic and efficient manner
  • Settlement patterns that minimize the use of automobiles and encourage walking, bicycling and the efficient use of public transit
  • The efficient movement of goods and people while making effective use of transportation and utility corridors
  • Protecting environmentally sensitive areas
  • Maintaining the integrity of a secure and productive resource base, including the agricultural and forest land reserves
  • Economic development that supports the unique character of communities;
  • Reducing and preventing air, land and water pollution
  • Adequate, affordable and appropriate housing
  • Adequate inventories of suitable land and resources for future settlement
  • Protecting the quality and quantity of ground water and surface water
  • Settlement patterns that minimize the risks associated with natural hazards
  • Preserving, creating and linking urban and rural open space including parks and recreation areas
  • Planning for energy supply and promoting efficient use, conservation and alternative forms of energy
  • Good stewardship of land, sites and structures with cultural heritage value

Looking at regional growth planning with a holistic sustainability lens enables a region to more clearly identify and address the links between land use and other regional development influences such as jobs and the economy. Engaging the business community including the Chambers of Commerce and the Urban Development Institute as well as other stakeholder groups such as Tourism Associations in addition to consulting with the Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training can help with identifying economic opportunities in different regions.

Provincial agencies provide the provincial perspective on regional issues during strategy development through participation on an intergovernmental advisory committee. The process for developing regional growth strategies is outlined in Part 13 of the Local Government Act. The intent of the legislation is to create an enabling local government framework for collaborative regional planning and growth management.

The process requires early and on-going consultation with member municipalities, First Nations, adjacent local governments and other local authorities, community members and interest groups, and senior government agencies. Public participation is key, as the impacts of growth affect all residents’ quality of life and business success.

The Local Government Act also directs local governments to include targets, policies and actions for the reduction of GHG emissions in their Regional Growth Strategies.

A RGS must also address housing, transportation, regional services, parks and natural areas, economic development and greenhouse gas emissions reduction and it can also deal with other interests. Some regions will undertake an RGS to focus on urban containment. Others may choose to focus on how critical regional issues, such as the water supply, air quality, and/or transportation management link to growth management more broadly.

Regions with Regional Growth Strategies:

  • Capital Regional District
  • Central Okanagan Regional District
  • Comox Valley Regional District
  • Fraser Valley Regional District
  • Metro Vancouver Regional District
  • Regional District of Nanaimo
  • Regional District of North Okanagan
  • Okanagan-Similkameen Regional District
  • Squamish-Lillooet Regional District
  • Thompson Nicola Regional District

How can an RGS be used to take action on climate change?

An effective regional growth strategy guides growth in a way that minimizes emissions through efficient use of land and water resources, infrastructure and transportation systems. In addition, maintaining greenspace serves to maximize CO2 sequestration alongside providing other environmental, social and economic benefits.

While unplanned regional growth can set a permanent pattern of land development and emissions performance that can be difficult to change, a well-developed RGS and well-planned growth can bring benefits such as:

  • More cost-effective infrastructure servicing
  • Managed transportation impacts
  • Better air quality and reduced emissions
  • Protected green space and local agricultural capacity
  • More secure watersheds and aquifers
  • Greater success for businesses in communities due to increased density of customers and workers
  • A greater supply of housing and more diverse of housing options
  • Healthier residents due to increases in walking and cycling opportunities
  • A more coordinated approach to development and decision-making
  • Better managed public and development industry expectations

An RGS can guide land use across a region to:

Learn more:

Recycling & Waste Reduction

Managing Resources for Reduced Emissions

Recycling of “waste” resources, complementing waste reduction, not only conserves valuable landfill space, but can significantly reduce overall solid waste-related emissions, e.g. emissions generated from raw materials processing, manufacturing, hauling of waste, and potentially from incineration.

Waste as an Emissions Source
Waste reduction and recycling can reduce solid waste greenhouse gas emissions by both lowering the demand for new materials and products (referred to as “upstream impacts”) and by minimizing “downstream impacts” such as transporting waste over long distances and disposing of it in landfills.

Upstream Emissions

When materials such as metals and plastics are discarded rather than recycled, new materials must be used to make replacement products. The energy intensity and greenhouse gas emissions related to producing new materials is usually higher than that of recycled or recovered materials.

Downstream Emissions

The Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) increased their solid waste diversion rate from 45% in 1998 to 57% in 2003.

Downstream emissions include emissions resulting from managing the waste materials, such as from hauling waste, and methane emissions from landfills. As landfills close and new locations become more difficult to find, transportation-related emissions are intensifying from increased hauling distances. However, landfill emissions, due primarily to methane production from organic materials, are typically much larger than hauling related emissions. Organics management is a key action to address these landfill emissions.

Local Government Role

Regional District of North Okanagan has upgraded recycling services at the Greater Vernon Landfill, increasing the amount of solid waste diverted from the landfill. / UBCM.
Regional District of North Okanagan has upgraded recycling services at the Greater Vernon Landfill, increasing the amount of solid waste diverted from the landfill. / UBCM.

Most local governments provide waste management services, such as waste collection, transportation, and landfill management. Often, solid waste management involves partnerships with private businesses, including haulers and materials processers. Whether services are delivered by government operations or by private business, waste reduction and recycling has the potential to address emissions associated with these services.

The Carbon Neutral framework for local government operations will not likely take into account upstream emissions reductions associated with solid waste, nor downstream landfill emission reductions. There may be some potential for local governments to reduce vehicle fleet emissions for hauling, depending on the location of materials processing facilities.

Although reducing waste and diverting materials from the landfill for recovery is dependent on public behaviour patterns, local governments can play a key role in shaping waste reduction and diversion through the provision of services and policies.

Community Examples

Salmon Arm Landfill Gas Capture Project
Ladysmith Curbside organic collection
Hartland Landfill Gas Utilization

Local Governments and Organics Management

In BC, many local governments, particularly regional districts, manage landfills. Many existing landfills are generating emissions from previously disposed waste; the proposed BC Landfill Gas Regulation aims to maximize reductions of landfill gas emissions and identify opportunities to increase landfill gas recovery and its beneficial use.

The Carbon Neutral framework for local governments currently does not recognize emissions reductions for landfills. However, these emissions are real and local governments can play a significant role in preventing useful organic resources from becoming potent emissions sources that cannot practically be recovered.

Actions

To facilitate organics diversion and resource recovery, local governments actions can include:

  • Set diversion and disposal targets for organic wastes – these may be part of resource management plans, zero waste strategies or other policies
  • Explore the opportunities for setting up community-scale/centralized organics collection and composting or other processing services
  • Work with private waste management services to provide collection and/or composting or processing services
  • Work with adjacent/regional governments to develop shared solutions
  • Promote and possibly subsidize backyard and apartment composting bins
  • Ban organic waste from the landfill, in conjunction with setting up alternate management services
  • Co-locate composting or other organics processing facilities with complementary facilities, such as wastewater treatment plants that produce biosolids

Low-Emissions Management Solutions

US EPA information indicates that there is a substantial reduction in net greenhouse gas emissions due to diverting readily degradable organic materials such as food trimmings to other methods such as composting, compared to landfilling.

Composting

Composting of organic materials is one of the solutions chosen by many governments and organizations to manage organic resources. There are a wide variety of methods and technologies available, many of which are relatively simple and require minimal energy input, others that are more intensive and mechanized, depending on site constraints and other factors. Compostable materials include:

  • Food trimmings
  • Yard and garden trimmings
  • Wood waste
  • Agricultural residues and manures
  • Paper
  • Wastewater biosolids
  • Different materials can be co-composted, potentially increasing the economic viability of composting operations.

All composting processes produce a useful, stable product that can be used to enhance soil quality and fertility, maintaining carbon storage in the soil and enhancing the ability of plants to sequester carbon from the atmosphere.

Other Management Methods

Other organics management and processing methods include anaerobic digestion (AD), which is suited to readily degradable organics such as food waste. AD produces biogas that can be used as a fuel source (typically for heating and power generation). Like composting, AD facilities can potentially handle multiple materials, including food waste, biosolids and manure. However, AD systems tend to be cost effective only at larger scales, due to the capital cost of equipment.

Less degradable organic materials such as wood waste can be co-composted with other materials such as food or biosolids, or can be potentially be processed into fuels using other technology such as gasification.

Other Considerations

Major considerations for organics collection and management include the potential for attracting wildlife and odour generation. These issues must be carefully considered in the design of programs and facilities.

Examples

The Regional District of Nanaimo has developed an Organics Diversion Strategy. Major initiatives include banning commercial organic waste from the regional landfill in 2005, and launching a residential food waste collection pilot program in 2007. Composting services are provided by International Composting Corporation.

The first municipality in B.C. to introduce universal residential curbside pick-up of organic waste, Ladysmith is dramatically reducing the amount of waste going into the landfill.

The District of Squamish, in partnership with Carney’s Waste Systems, provides organics composting services, and plans rollout of organics collection in 2009.

Idle Reduction Bylaw

Idle Free in BC

Idle-free initiatives are a straightforward and cost-effective action that local governments can immediately take to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. When a vehicle’s engine is turned off instead of idling, not only does this reduce GHG emissions, but saves fuel as well.

A successful idle-free campaign can also be a catalyst for public involvement in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. An idle reduction initiative may mark a personal transition that leads to other actions on climate change and support for policies that reduce emissions. This change in behavior can be a foundation for learning about climate change and our roles.

Myths and Facts About Idling

MYTH: Idling uses less gas than restarting the engine. Studies clearly show that idling for over 10 seconds uses more fuel and produces more CO2 emissions than restarting your engine. The amount of time to offset any potential maintenance costs to the starter or battery is under 60 seconds. So, as a guideline, if a car is stopped for more than 60 seconds the engine should be turned off. [1]

MYTH: Idling warms the engine. Idling is not an effective way to warm up your vehicle, even in cold weather. The best way to warm a car is to drive it. The tires, transmission, wheel bearings and other moving parts all need to be warmed up for the vehicle to perform well, and most of these parts do not begin to warm up until you drive. [1]

FACT: For the average vehicle with a 3-litre engine (e.g. 2000 Nisan Patrol) every 10 minutes of idling costs more than a quarter of a litre in wasted fuel or approximately 0.6 kg of carbon dioxide.

FACT: If Canadians avoided idling for just three minutes every day of the year, CO2 emissions could be reduced by 1.4 million tonnes annually, which is the equivalent of taking 320,000 cars off the road for the entire year. [1]

Community Examples

City of Duncan Anti-idlng bylaw 3004
Town of Golden installed community-wide anti-idling signage
Invermere Anti-idling Policy 1365
Kaslo Anti-idling Bylaw 1082
Kelowna Anti-idling signage
Massett installed anti idling signage
Prince George Anti-idling Campaign
Port Moody Anti-idling Bylaw
Sayward No Idling By-law No. 389
Squamish Anti‐Idling Policy
Terrace Anti-idling Policy 97
Section 2.7 of the City of Vancouver’s Motor Vehicle Noise and Emission Abatement Bylaw 9344
City of Victoria Idling Control Bylaw
Capital Regional District Idling Control Bylaw

Local Government Action to Stop Idling

Local governments have implemented bylaws, policies, and campaigns to reduce idling within their boundaries. In some cases such as North Vancouver, and Vancouver anti-idling bylaws have been passed to prevent idling altogether. Many more communities have taken advantage of Provincial and Federal initiatives to reduce idling in the community. Other communities such as Williams Lake and Richmond have introduced idle-free policies for their corporate fleets and have reaped the financial rewards from fuel savings.

If Canadians avoided idling for just three minutes every day of the year, CO2 emissions could be reduced by 1.4 million tonnes annually, which is the equivalent to taking 320,000 cars off of the road for the entire year. Office of Energy Efficiency, Natural Resources Canada

Idle-Free Bylaws

Idle-free bylaws specify the maximum amount of time that a vehicle can be left idling, typically ranging between one minute and three minutes. Idle-free bylaws might also be contained in a nuisance or noise bylaw, not specifying a time limit, but rather a disturbance provision. Communities have the power to create regulations to control idling through the Community Charter (Sections 8(3)(b) & (h), 16, 17, 62, 64, 260 to 263) and the Motor Vehicle Act (Part 3 and Section 124(1)(c)) [1].

Idle-Free Campaigns

There are several programs that provide toolkits to help communities initiate an idle-free campaign. Idle Free Zone is a great place to start. Working with the community, non-government organizations and community organizations can also help to implement a mix of anti-idling initiatives (e.g., workplace-based, school-based, municipal by-law and/or community outreach). Where a local government has an environmental advisory or air-quality committee, this would be a good place to start [2].

Prince George and Burnaby have successfully taken advantage of Provincial and Federal initiatives to reduce idling in the community through education and marketing campaigns.

Idle-Free Fleets Policies

Some local governments have started with idle-free policies for their own fleets in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and cut fuel costs. The City of Richmond saved approximately 10% of their total fuel costs, equaling $117,000 during the first year of project’s implementation. Communication with the community about the importance of the project to environmental and human health was an important part of the project. The City of Richmond also partnered with the Richmond School Board to promote an idle-free pilot project in Richmond high schools and at the Vancouver International Airport [3].

Williams Lake has also implemented an idle-free policy within their government operations. Several other communities in BC have done the same.

[1] Gage, A. and Saha, S., 2006. The Clean Air Bylaws Guide. West Coats Environmental Law.

[2] BC Climate Exchange. Greenhouse Gas Action Guide.

[3] Idle Free BC. Fraser Basin Council, BC Climate Exchange, Ministry of the Environment, and Biofleet.

Green Infrastructure Policy

Policy for Low-Carbon Infrastructure

A set of clear objectives that address energy, emissions and broader sustainability issues is one step in a structured approach to addressing emissions due to infrastructure systems. These objectives are often not well established within local government policy and existing infrastructure design and engineering processes, and can be viewed as complementary to other, more established design criteria such as those for health and safety, quality, and reliability.

Solidifying Your Infrastructure Objectives

Hope reduced energy costs through the construction of a new water reservoir (prior to construction, they need to pump 200,000 gallons a day to maintain water quality in an open air reservoir).
Hope reduced energy costs through the construction of a new water reservoir (prior to construction, they need to pump 200,000 gallons a day to maintain water quality in an open air reservoir).

Infrastructure systems such as water supply, wastewater management and solid waste management are subject to many challenges, including aging equipment and systems and increasing construction and operation costs. However, strengthening the sustainability aspect within infrastructure planning and design can help to address these challenges, as well as reduce energy consumption and emissions.

Depending on the size and capabilities of a local government, infrastructure engineering is done in house and/or by consultants to varying degrees. All along that spectrum, it is important to establish sustainability and emissions objectives that will help to guide both staff and consultants in their design work.

Implementation of these considerations in local government policy is in relative infancy, compared to other initiatives such as green building policy. However, examples of potential policies include:

  • Official Community Plan: at a high level, sets directions for energy and resource usage that will influence infrastructure-related emissions.
  • Purchasing: purchasing policy may be updated to require Requests for Proposals and Terms of Reference for infrastructure projects to include sustainability requirements. For example: Vendors to supply information or analyses that indicate net energy and emissions performance of their equipment or design; Create baseline assumptions for suppliers, to allow “apples to apples” comparison – e.g. emissions factors, life cycle cost analysis methodology; Encourage approaches such as Integrated Resource Recovery (see Management Plans for Infrastructure and Resources)
  • Green/Sustainable Infrastructure Policy: A separate policy or strategy document could be created that embodies infrastructure objectives and possibly performance targets

Potential Objectives

Examples of potential objectives include:

  • Energy: minimize the net energy intensity of the system(s) when planning and designing new systems, upgrades or replacements. Intensities can be evaluated on a per-service-unit basis – for example, kWh/cubic metre of water supplied or wastewater treated.
  • Emissions: minimize the net greenhouse gas intensity, analogous to energy use, for example through reduced energy intensity and use of renewable energy sources.
  • Life cycle costs: minimize the net, long-term cost of service provision on a per-unit basis (e.g. $/cubic metre of water supplied or wastewater treated), considering all elements of the infrastructure systems, capital and operating costs, and potential revenues from sources such as waste heat.
  • Demand management: Develop Demand Side Management (DSM) strategies in parallel with any major infrastructure projects.
  • Materials: consider the energy and emissions intensity of construction materials.

Additional or modified objectives, and potentially performance targets such as emissions reductions, can be developed based on the specific context.

Fast Tracking

Fast Forward to Green Development

Fast tracking is a valuable incentive that local governments can offer developers to achieve lower emissions in new developments. Local governments can give priority to processing development applications for developments that meet certain criteria. For example, some local governments have chosen to use established rating systems such as LEED or Built Green and others have created their own list of desired features.

Approaches to Fast Tracking

  • Local governments already have the authority to establish administrative policies to fast track green or other development applications.
  • Fast tracking green development is about removing barriers and encouraging sustainable development that contributes to reduced greenhouse gas emissions and creates healthier communities.
  • Fast tracking includes streamlining approval processes and moving green development applications to the front of the approval line. Green development is a proposal that includes sustainable elements such as:
    • Sites that take advantage of existing infrastructure and transit lines
    • Buildings that conserve energy, water and building materials
    • Sustainable site locations
    • Lower energy and water consumption
    • Lower waste production
    • Increased focus on healthier communities and built environments.
  • Local governments can fast track rezoning, development permit and subdivision applications for developments that meet their criteria. Existing local government policies include:
    • Fast tracking re-zoning based on predetermined green criteria
    • Prep-application developer/staff approval meetings
    • Reduced fees for buildings that meet a green standard.
  • Local governments can also fast track building permit applications for green buildings that meet their criteria.