What is the Toronto Green Standard?
The Toronto Green Standard (TGS) is a set of environmental performance standards for new developments in Toronto aimed at helping the city meet its climate action goal of achieving near-zero emissions by 2030. The Toronto Green Standard consists of different phases or tiers, each representing increasingly ambitious environmental performance targets.
Focus on embodied carbon
Embodied carbon assessments (e.g. life-cycle assessments) are a crucial component of the Toronto Green Standard, particularly in higher tiers where these evaluations become mandatory. These assessments enable developers to quantify and report the carbon emissions associated with building materials and construction processes, emphasizing the importance of low-carbon materials in achieving TGS targets. This guide will dive into how these requirements scale across tiers, highlighting how compliance can contribute to a building’s overall sustainability and Toronto's ambitious carbon reduction goals.
Key changes in Toronto Green Standard Version 4 (TGS v4)
Zero emissions buildings:
- Target: Near-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for mid to high-rise residential and non-residential buildings by 2030.
- Timeline: Accelerated GHG emission limits for buildings constructed from 2025 onwards, aiming for near-zero emissions by 2030.
Embodied carbon:
- Requirement: Tier 2 and 3 projects must assess and report upfront embodied carbon in building materials, including landscape designs.
Tier progression:
- Frequency: Toronto Green Standard drops its lowest tier every four years until net zero is achieved.
- Changes: Tier 2 energy requirements from TGS v3 become Tier 1 in TGS v4, Tier 3 becomes the new Tier 2, and Tier 4 (near-zero) becomes Tier 3.
Categories covered by Toronto Green Standard
- Energy efficiency: Efficient use of energy and reduction of GHG emissions.
- Water efficiency: Reduction of water consumption and stormwater management.
- Air quality: Improvement of indoor air quality and reduction of pollutants.
- Materials and waste: Use of sustainable materials and reduction of construction and operational waste.
- Ecology and green space: Enhancement of biodiversity, green roofs, and increased tree planting.
- Cycling and pedestrian infrastructure: provide infrastructure to encourage sustainable modes of travel.
Requirements for mid to high-rise residential & non-residential buildings
How are Toronto Green Standard requirements enforced?
The City of Toronto enforces Toronto Green Standard requirements through the Site Planning Approval (SPA) process, ensuring that TGS requirements are incorporated into project designs.
Applying for a refund for higher-tier achievements
The Toronto Green Standard Development Charge Refund Program offers partial refunds on development charges for projects meeting Tier 2 or higher. To qualify, projects must:
- Meet Tier 1 requirements.
- Undergo third-party verification for Tiers 2, 3, or 4.
Application process:
- Complete and submit the Development Charge Refund Application and Estimate forms.
- Submit forms before receiving the Notice of Approval Conditions (NOAC) as part of site plan approvals.
- Ensure third-party verification at the 50% construction drawings stage and Occupancy stage.
Benefits of achieving higher tiers
- Greenhouse gas reduction.
- Preparedness for future regulations.
- Attract investors and tenants.
- Marketing opportunities.
How can One Click LCA help you meet Toronto Green Standard requirements?
Life-cycle assessments
- By 2026, Tier 2 will become mandatory including conducting life-cycle assessments. Stay ahead of the curve and automate your life-cycle assessments now with One Click LCA.
Sourcing low-carbon materials
- The Materials Compass from One Click LCA is designed to help construction professionals cut carbon in their projects and achieve sustainability goals by finding and comparing sustainable building materials.
Energy emissions
- Whole-building energy modeling is a mandatory requirement. Participants can input energy consumption data into One Click LCA software and calculate total emissions using the net-zero carbon tool.