The City of Toronto has updated its Toronto Green Standard to include higher energy conservation targets for new buildings.

The revised standard ensures new buildings and the surrounding site contribute to a greener city with green or cool roofs, cycling infrastructure, tree canopy cover, water and energy conservation and bird-friendly glazing on buildings.

“Toronto is currently experiencing a huge condominium boom, with about 173 cranes in the air,” says Coun. Peter Milczyn, who is also chair of the planning and growth management committee. “Raising the standard for the environmental performance of new development in Toronto is essential to our future sustainability and resiliency.”

The two-tier set of performance measures relate to sustainable site and building design for new public and private development. New planning applications have had to comply with tier 1 environmental performance measures since 2010.

Applicants that meet both tier 1 and tier 2 standards are eligible for a refund of 20 per cent of the City’s development charge. Tier 2 is a voluntary, higher level of environmental performance.

Toronto is one of the only cities in North America with required green standards applying to new construction. The Toronto Green Standard first came into effect in 2010.

The updates will apply to new development starting in January 2014.