SUSTAINABILITY + GREEN CITIES

Brent Toderian has become a sought-after national and international authority and practitioner in smart growth, healthy + resilient communities, green neighbourhood and building design, “Eco-cities”, and urban sustainability.

Brent led and was primary author of Vancouver’s globally-known and award-winning EcoDensity Initiative, which tackled the controversial but critical links between what he dubbed “density done well”, and lowering the city’s ecological footprint. The resulting EcoDensity Charter and Action Plan have changed the way all planning, design and thinking occurs in Vancouver relative to density, design and land-use.

Brent was subsequently a key leader in the City’s “Greenest City by 2020” Initiative, overseeing all aspects relating to land-use and design, co-chairing the components on “green mobility”, and strongly influencing aspects relating to food access, parks and access to nature, climate mitigation, ecological footprint, and public engagement.

Brent initiated and led the creation of North America’s first LEED® GOLD requirements for private-sector buildings, co-created the first municipal District Energy requirements in North America; co-led the City’s passive design requirements and “removal of green design barriers” initiative, and led or co-led numerous initiatives relating to urban food access, walkable, bikable and transit-oriented communities, “green skyscraper” requirements; and idea competitions + innovative engagements around eco-city planning and design.