Our Community 20/20 program links landowners and developers to innovative green design features and forward focused building practices to create communities where residents can live, work and play while reducing their impact on the environment.
The advancement of Smart Communities in Burlington will ensure that Burlingtonians will enjoy a high quality of life now and in the future within a healthy environment.
Click here for a handy checklist of some of the key design features of a smart community development.
You can also check out Sustainable Hamilton Burlington Business Climate Action Toolkit for ways to manage the energy and environmental impacts of your business.
RAIN Community Solutions helps communities manage rain where it falls to save mone, reduce flood risk, and protect our water.
BurlingtonGreen offers Eco-Solutions to help local business and organizations to reduce costs while helping the planet.
BurlingtonGreen has adopted Future Oxford's sustainability framework as illustrated in the following nested circles, recognizing that community and economic activity occurs within environmental, or ecological, limits. This framework underpins the design, planning, implementation and operations of a Community 20/20 development.


Action on the climate change emergency here in Burlington prioritizes the advancement of sustainable, smart development projects, homes and communities in the city.
Borrowing from Richmond Hill, the following categories are generally used to apply a sustainability metric tool to achieve healthy, complete and sustainable communities.
- Built environment
- Mobility
- Natural environment and open space
- Infrastructure and buildings
more resources here
- Soak it Up Toolkit here
- healthy neighboursheds HERE
- Living Building Challenge here
- Passive House here
- Well Building here
- Architecture 2030 here
- TOWARDS LOW CARBON COMMUNITIES: CREATING MUNICIPAL GREEN DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS HERE
Community 20/20 demonstration project
Proposed Smart Community Project:
On January 16th, 2018, Council members voted against a request for approval of land zoning conversion located at 901 Guelph Line to support a future mixed-use, sustainably designed community (6 opposed, 1 in favour [Councilor Sharman]). We are disappointed with this outcome and stand behind our solution-focused position shared with Burlington Council here.
During 2015 to 2019, BurlingtonGreen is pleased to be collaborating with Emshih Developments Inc. to create a vision for their proposed mixed-used developed located at 901 Guelph Line in Burlington, Ontario that reflects the following 5 goals:
1. Socially Connected – designed to attract younger residents /work force
2. Create a ‘True Community’ – residents live, work and play in this new, innovative complex
3. Transit – a walkable community that is adjacent to transit; reduce number of cars per resident, car share program, bike friendly
4. Social Space – well planned social spaces are included such as a central square, community garden etc.
5. Future Focused - environmentally sustainable with features that are practical, proven and economically feasible
More about the 901 Guelph Line project
What?
The urban design would reflect the three pillars of sustainability ( economic, social and environmental ) and be transit-oriented; with the Burlington GO station, local transit lines and the Burlington Mall all within walking distance of this proposed community complex.
Green building, infrastructure technologies and practical opportunities to conserve energy, water, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to a future that includes extreme weather events will be some of the initiatives to be explored as part of the proposed development project.
This exciting project would be the first of its kind in Burlington to serve as a permanent model to inspire and inform future sustainable development practices in the city of Burlington and beyond.
Where?
Located at Guelph Line & Harvester Road in Burlington, Emshih Developments Inc. aims to redevelop the 16 acre light-industrial site into a vibrant, innovative 1,000,000 square foot mixed-use development to serve as a real world example of green building practices that is socially connected to people, places, and the larger community of Burlington.
The mixed-use proposed development is to include 1000 high and mid- rise residential units, including affordable options, and incorporate forward-thinking office spaces such as shared and open-concept workspaces to attract knowledge-based employment; and neighbourhood retail uses to service residents and nearby employees.
Who?
BurlingtonGreen is one of various team members collaborating on this exciting project.
Our role is ….
• To research and share key green features for the project design that meet the key factors of practicality, proven design, and economic feasibility
• To identify and communicate best practices, leading-edge technologies and innovative service providers that could reduce the footprint or otherwise improve the green aspects of the project
• To share the story and journey of the project from start to completion with the people of Burlington through outreach programs, print materials, social media and this website.
Why?
The vision for this project directly supports the guiding principles of the City of Burlington's strategic plan:
When?
Before the proposed "Community 20/20" project can proceed, a land zoning change for the 16 acre site from employment only to mixed-use is required. This requires approval from the City of Burlington which has yet to take place.
Supported by:
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