Grey County is preparing to roll out a new program aimed at encouraging more energy-efficient and climate-resilient housing across the region.
County council approved the voluntary Green Development Program on March 26, marking a step forward in supporting sustainable residential development. The initiative is also being developed in collaboration with Dufferin County and Wellington County, pending approval from their respective councils, to create a consistent approach for developers operating across municipal boundaries.
The program is expected to launch later this spring.
“This new voluntary program is about working together to celebrate developers who are choosing to build energy-efficient, climate-resilient homes in Grey County. It supports the goals of our Going Green in Grey climate action plan while recognizing that sustainable building can also deliver real, long-term savings for homeowners,” said Grey County Warden Andrea Matrosovs. “We’re pleased to have designed a flexible program that will recognize and celebrate high-performance building already happening in our communities, and we look forward to seeing this program grow.”
The Green Development Program is designed to recognize residential projects that incorporate sustainability features, initially focusing on developments with 10 or more units. However, projects of any size will be eligible to apply. It is built around three main components: metrics, recognition and capacity building.
Developers can select from a variety of sustainability measures, each earning points toward an overall score. Based on the total, projects can achieve bronze, silver or gold recognition. The available metrics reflect regional priorities and are grouped into three categories: natural environment, community and transportation, and built environment. These include elements such as tree canopy preservation, affordability and accessibility, stormwater management, park access, electric vehicle readiness, heat pumps, water efficiency, solar readiness and construction waste reduction.
Recognition for successful projects is expected to include profiles on county websites, marketing support and the potential creation of an awards program.
The initiative was shaped through a combination of best-practice research, existing building certification programs,along with input from the development industry and broader community. Builders and developers from all three counties were invited to information sessions last year, helping staff design a program that addresses industry needs, including flexibility.
The counties are also working with Georgian College and Sustainable Waterloo Region to better understand current industry practices and identify what supports are needed to make it easier to incorporate sustainable features into new builds.
The program will be coordinated at the county level, with opportunities for municipalities to participate based on their capacity and interest. Officials say this approach will help ensure equitable access to recognition while streamlining the review process across the region.
