Richmond hill launches RFP

NRU
June 20, 2018
Rachael Williams

The Town of Richmond Hill has launched a request for proposals for a consulting team to update its sustainability metrics program.

The sustainability metrics program was launched in 2015 to ensure developers took into consideration rising greenhouse gas emissions, aging populations, renewable energy and climate change in their planning applications. A collaborative effort between the City of Vaughan, the City of Brampton and Richmond Hill, the program forces developers to quantify the sustainability of their development proposals by requiring them to score their projects based on a number of sustainability metrics.

“The purpose of the project is to update the metrics to ensure that it continues to be relevant in today’s planning and regulatory context, and also keeping in mind advances in sustainable development technology,” said Richmond Hill communication services director Meeta Gandhi.

A developers’ sustainability score is calculated using what is called a “sustainability scoring tool” which breaks down the development proposal into four categories: built environment, mobility, natural environment and open space, and infrastructure and buildings.

Each category is further subdivided into performance metrics. For example, built environment is broken down into floor space index, persons and jobs per hectare, density targets, proximity to lifestyle amenities, landscape and street tree planting, soil quality, third party green standards, site accessibility, parking, pedestrian connections and cultural heritage resources.

There are minimum targets and aspirational targets for each performance metric and points associated with each. The developer scores his or her application based on the total number of points earned.

The score card and summary letter is then submitted to the municipality with the relevant planning applications, which range from site plan and draft plans of subdivision in Richmond Hill to block plans, plans of subdivision, site plans, official plan and zoning by-law amendments in Brampton.

Originally envisioned in 2013, the program is in need of an update as a number of legislative changes have been enacted by Queen’s Park, including Places to Grow, the Climate Change Action Plan and changes to the Ontario Building Code.
“Some of our metrics in our tools are outdated because...some of our recommended minimums or aspirational targets are now actually required,” said Brampton environmental planner Michael Hoy.

The RFP broke the project into two phases--phase one requires the successful proponent to conduct background analysis on legislative changes and consult with regional governments and stakeholders prior to drafting new sustainability metrics.
Phase two is Richmond Hill specific, requesting the successful proponent to research and make recommendations for new greenhouse gas reduction metrics, a green roof by-law, performance indicator targets and implementation incentives.

“Ultimately, using sustainability metrics ensures that new development achieves the town’s vision of promoting innovative sustainable design and development practices that move Richmond Hill towards becoming a more sustainable, energy-efficient community,” said Gandhi.

Sustainable.TO architectural designer Nicholas Discenza told NRU the key to sustainable building is in the building envelope.

“If you reduce the amount of energy a building needs through passive solar design, superb insulation and air tightness, then the amount of energy you need is significantly decreased and the amount of money you spend on renewables is dramatically reduced,” he said.