Report helps communities tally benefits of green infrastructure
January 6, 2015
By CCE
A coalition of organizations in Ontario has published a report that helps communities to assess the costs and benefits of developing more green spaces and green infrastructure.
Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, the Ontario Parks Association, and Landscape Ontario, undertook the project with funding from the Metcalf Foundation. “The Green Infrastructure Design Charrette: Making the Business Case for Green Infrastructure Investment in Your Community – Final Report” was launched on Monday, January 5 as part of the Landscape Ontario Congress.
The report is the result of day-long design charrettes that involved cities in southern Ontario and the Greater Toronto Area: Vaughan, Oshawa, London, Toronto, Mississauga, and Brampton.
During the charrettes expert teams redesigned 11 neighbourhoods using green infrastructure at the conceptual neighbourhood scale. Plans were drawn up using living green infrastructure such as trees, bioswales, green roofs and green walls.
As part of the project a tool was developed known as the Green Infrastructure Cost-Benefit Matrix. It was used to summarize 15 generic forms of green infrastructure within a standardized cost-benefit metric of dollar-per-square metre.
Steven Peck, founder and president of Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, explained that the report provides visual images of intensive green infrastructure in the five Ontario communities as well as estimates of costs, job creation potential and 10 additional benefits.
To see the report, click here.
