Building a Healthy Community in Vancouver's Southeast False Creek

The Southeast False Creek area was a former industrial brownfield that was redeveloped to be a model sustainable community with LEED-Gold buildings, easy transit access to ensure proximity to local jobs and holistic energy use reduction.

One of SEFC’s largest public space components is a six-acre park south of Science World, designed by Vancouver?s Space2place Design. It features a granite block amphitheatre, solar-powered trash compactors and naturalized shoreline sections.

Ecological Restoration

Ecosystems are dynamic communities of plants, animals and microorganisms that interact with their physical environment as a functional unit. These ecosystems can be damaged, degraded or destroyed by human activity.

A recent study conducted by the IUCN found that ecological restoration efforts can be undertaken by groups at all levels of society, without the need for financial support. Those implementing restoration activities should first identify their goals and objectives.

At the Olympic Village, which was awarded LEED Platinum, there are several laudable environmental initiatives including green roofs, rainwater management and neighbourhood energy system. Additionally, the site features a $28 million wastewater technology that takes heat from untreated sewage to provide heating and hot water for the community.

Green Roofs

The village will have more than half of its roofs covered in green. These roof areas will help to reduce the heat island effect of the city, provide plants to clean air and add oxygen and offer improved views from adjacent taller buildings.

As part of the water use reduction strategy, the project will also utilise harvested rainwater for uses such as irrigation and toilet flushing. A significant portion of this water will be directed into cisterns for future use on the site.

The extensive green roofs have been designed to resemble the colourful motifs of Olympic athletes competing in hockey, curling and luge. To achieve this, sedum-vegetated mats were rolled out like turf over 7.5 cm (3 inches) of growing medium. This will create a carpet of sedum voodoo on the roofscapes and serve as an excellent opportunity for rooftop urban agriculture.

Green Streets

The Olympic Village, part of the larger Southeast False Creek neighbourhood, is a complete community that features goods and services within walking distance and housing linked by transit. The design emphasizes heritage ties to the past while incorporating sustainable principles and energy efficient green buildings.

The Village’s environmental performance is reflected in the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) platinum certification it earned for its green building designs, which include bioswales and wetlands to treat runoff water, rainwater cisterns that irrigate green roofs, solar-powered trash compactors, heat drawn from sewage pipes, radiant heating, and gray-water toilets. The Village is also the first neighbourhood in Canada to achieve net zero energy buildings.

Active Transportation

Creating safe, active transportation options is essential for a healthy, vibrant community. They can lower transportation costs, conserve fuel, reduce emissions, promote health and wellness, and increase neighborhood livability.

At Olympic Village, cycling and walking is prioritized as an active form of transportation with a dedicated seawall promenade that connects the community to the city?s central business district and Granville Island.

The neighbourhood also benefits from a Neighbourhood Energy Utility that recovers heat from sewers and uses it to provide space heating and hot water for the buildings. This green infrastructure eliminates 60% of gas pollution and saves residents money.

Community Centre

If you're looking for a place to meet with friends, hold community events, or do yoga, then you might want to consider building a community centre. While it's more difficult to establish a community center in an area that is still developing, it can be a great way to build relationships and encourage people to get involved in the local community.

Olympic Village Vancouver is a sustainable, model residential development in a green neighbourhood that is one of the most environmentally friendly places you can live in. It uses solar energy, solar hot water, and a neighbourhood energy utility to help residents save money on gas bills, reduce their trash collector fees, and eliminate heaters that use up extra energy.