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Task 1: Establish Project Commitment
Assemble a core team
Initially, the composition of the core development team may be as simple as a sustainable neighbourhood champion and like-minded individuals whose goal is to move their organization towards a sustainable neighbourhood development. Where more than one developer is involved in the project, the core team is expanded to include champions from each development group.
The core team identifies additional key personnel that need to be involved in considering the implications of sustainable neighbourhood development. Engaging this group from the outset ensures they are on-board when the commitment to sustainable neighbourhood development is finally made.
Over time, this team’s composition will likely change as its responsibilities expand to include the broader decisions and activities related to the planning, design and implementation of a specific sustainable neighbourhood project. Ideally, core team members will ultimately serve on the project implementation team established in Task 19.
Engage a sustainability consultant
Making a commitment to sustainable neighbourhood development requires the guidance and expertise of a sustainable neighbourhood consultant. Selected by the core team, this sustainability consultant is responsible for carrying out and guiding SuNliving tasks and activities.
The individual, or team, should have extensive sustainable neighbourhood design expertise; be a skilled facilitator; be experienced in planning and design initiatives; be well versed in SuNliving and/or the approaches from which it was derived; have a clear understanding of both conventional and sustainability-based development processes; have experience with community-based social marketing; and be capable of carrying out all of the recommended tasks described in the SuNliving work plan.
Select a sustainability coordinator
It is strongly recommended that the core team also engage a sustainability coordinator. This individual is responsible for ensuring that the sustainable neighbourhood work plan is delivered in a manner that effectively and efficiently achieves the project’s vision and goals. The core team should consider establishing this coordinator in-house, as this is a long-term position that will span implementation as well as planning and design. Experience indicates that the value of this individual cannot be overstated, especially for first-time projects and projects involving more than one developer.
The sustainability coordinator should have in-depth knowledge and experience with both traditional and sustainability-based development processes. Strong leadership, management and interpersonal skills are required in order to provide continuity amongst the various project stakeholders and teams. This individual works closely with the sustainability consultant.
Deliver a project commitment workshop
The purpose of the project commitment workshop is to ensure that participants fully understand the nature and meaning of true sustainable neighbourhood development and that they embrace the level of commitment required to successfully travel down this path.
The workshop is an opportunity to investigate the implications of sustainable neighbourhood development as a strategic business model; to acquire a greater understanding of the range of activities and applicability of the SuNliving approach; and to determine how the specific project sponsor fits into the sustainable development spectrum.
The sustainability consultant prepares and delivers this workshop in consultation with the core team. It is the responsibility of the consultant to assemble the required speakers and expertise. Participants are selected by the core team. Presentations and interactive sessions (see Table 1) are designed to enable participants to make an informed decision about committing to sustainable neighbourhood development and to integrating the SuNliving approach into their traditional planning and design process. If the workshop objective is achieved, the participants will have committed to a strategic planning model that promotes a sustainable future and supports alternative development.
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Engagement Tools | Project Commitment Workshop |
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Additional Support | TNS e-Learning module |
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EHUV Case Study |
SuN Primer Presentation Material |
| TABLE 1 | SUGGESTED WORKSHOP TOPICS |
| The Business Case for Sustainable Neighbourhoods | Perceived risk and costs associated with using new technologies and doing business in a new way can be mitigated if stakeholders are confident they can sell the concept. This presentation highlights case studies of other organizations and businesses that have prospered by incorporating sustainable development concepts. |
| System Conditions for a Sustainable Future | The Natural Step (www.thenaturalstep.org) describes four system conditions for maintaining essential ecological processes and socio-economic dynamics that must be respected. These system conditions provide the basis for establishing sustainable neighbourhood principles to guide the transition to a sustainable future. |
| Making Sense of Principles | Sustainable neighbourhood principles represent a rigorous description of a sustainable development, allowing decision-making to be strategic. These principles are applied throughout SuNliving to assist in determining if initiatives are moving towards a successful outcome. This presentation shows how to create useful, comprehensive and appropriate principles, and relates examples of practical applications of these principles. |
| Ecological Footprinting | Ecological footprinting research indicates that we are no longer living in a sustainable manner. Sustainable neighbourhood development aspires to a one planet footprint. This presentation explores the possibility of enjoying a high quality of life while lowering our ecological impact to a one planet footprint. |
| Backcasting | Backcasting is the process of working backwards from a future vision to determine the actions required to achieve that vision. It results in the creation of solutions focused on the underlying causes of a problem rather than trying to deal with shorter term actions. This presentation identifies how to backcast in the context of sustainable neighbourhood development and demonstrates tools that can assist in doing so. |
| Fostering Sustainable Living | Without community buy-in and participation, a development plan – no matter how technically sound or innovative – will have little likelihood of achieving its sustainable neighbourhood goals. This presentation explores the application of a sustainable living lens to planning and decision-making to ensure we are enabling and fostering sustainable lifestyles. |
| Holistic Planning and Integrated Design | A holistic planning and integrated design process is the key to unlocking the creative ‘outside-the-box’ thinking required to develop sustainable neighbourhood plans. This presentation introduces examples of sustainable neighbourhood projects from Canada and around the world and the processes used to achieve them. In this way, participants become familiar with practical applications of sustainable neighbourhood planning. |
