The Verandah One Planet Living Action Plan

HEALTH & HAPPINESS

Overview
Community living with engaging social activities and events for people of all ages, encouraging active, social, meaningful lives to promote good health and wellbeing. We will encourage physical, social, mental and emotional health to increase and support high levels of happiness for everyone.

How it’s measured:

➡ Community Feedback
Monthly opportunities for neighbours to meet and share feedback and develop initiatives and organize desired social events.

➡ Health and Wellness Surveys
Periodically conducted online

The Actions:

✔️Volunteer Opportunities
Opportunities to volunteer with various social programs within the community such as gardening and leading a skills sharing workshop.

✔️Improved Air Quality
The Verandah will be located on the peripheral of cities with less pollution and better air quality.

✔️Purpose-built stability
All residents will enjoy the security of knowing that their home will never be converted into a condominium and sold.

✔️Improved Well-Being
Landscapes, community spaces and social events designed to increase physical activity, reduce stress and build relationships.

✔️Fitness for All
A fitness area in The Hub available to both residents and staff for yoga, fitness classes and educational seminars. Outdoor activities such as horseshoes, lawn bowling, and frisbee golf will be encouraged.

✔️Gardens and Greenhouses
Organic salad greens & herbs grown indoors year round. Private and community gardening and greenhouse options available.

✔️Socialbility
Community Events organized by residents

✔️Home Care
Home Care available to assist residents to not only "age in place" but to "thrive in place".

Equity and local economy

Overview
The Verandah Group will support the local economy through strategic partnerships with companies that value social responsibility and environmental integrity.

How it’s measured:

➡ Partnerships
List of vetted community partners supported by the Verandah Group.

➡ Rental Affordability Assessment
Annual comparison with average local rents.

➡ Community Partnership Utilization Review Analysis of the percentage of purchases made from community partners.

Actions:

✔️Supporting Local Businesses
The Verandah Group will develop mutually beneficial partnerships with local businesses, creating possible work and volunteer opportunities for those wishing to contribute to social programs and maintenance.

✔️Affordable and Sustainable Housing
Affordable purpose-built rental housing.

Culture and community

Overview
The Hub will be the heart of the neighbourhood for social activities and gatherings of residents and guests. The on-site administration offices will be located here to ensure ease of accessibility for residents.

Outcomes:

➡ Calendar of Events
Electronic monthly calendar of events created by neighbours based on feedback and interest. Attendance of events tracked and used to support planning for future events.

➡ Usage Tracking
Inventory list of items in the Library of Things and records kept of usage. Data used to build inventory and sharing of items.

The Actions:

✔️Skills
Sharing Space will be available at The Hub to organize monthly skills sharing workshops based on interests and skills of neighbours. Popular skills sharing workshops may include canning and fermentation, edible plants foraging, birdhouse building, quilting, website design.

✔️Library of Things
A collection of tools, books, specialty kitchen items, games and other items that can be borrowed free of charge. Neighbours will be encouraged to borrow what they need and lend what they don't.

✔️Verandahs
Each home will have a front Verandah to encourage social interaction with neighbours and to enhance community security. Zoning will permit home based businesses to operate in each Verandah.

Land and nature

Overview
Regenerative natural wildscapes designed to improve local biodiversity and create relaxing common places for humans and wildlife to co-exist.

Outcomes:

➡ Biodiversity
List of local flora and fauna planted within the community. Visual tracking of wildlife sightings shared with community.

➡ Water Quality Testing
Holding pond tested periodically and water quality recorded and tracked.

The Actions:

✔️Wildflower & Natural Wild Landscaping
Organic wildflower landscaping to attract bees and other pollinators. Use of local plant species that require minimal maintenance and create habitats for local wildlife. Planting of white clover instead of grass lawns to reduce water and labor needs. Careful selection of plant materials to help reduce mosquitos.

✔️Preserving Land
To the largest extent possible, land will be preserved and remain left in its natural state with placement of homes to compliment the natural topography. With on grade foundations, there will be no ground removed for basements.

✔️Permaculture Landscaping
Landscaping designed to ensure green spaces are naturally regenerative.

Sustainable water

Overview
Sustainable Water and Wastewater Systems to reduce overall water usage and reuse and re-cycle water. Use of packaged, modular, scalable, On-Site Non-Potable Water Systems (ONSW) to enable flexibility for irrigation and outdoor maintenance/cleaning purposes.

Outcomes:

➡ Water Usage Performance Tracking
Individual and community water consumption data recorded

Actions:

✔️Water Saving Plumbing Fixtures
Low-flow flush toilets and faucet aerators to reduce water usage.

✔️Onsite Non-Potable Water System (ONWS)
Wastewater is treated, stored and re-used for non-potable use. Our decentralized approach keeps water localized for treatment, recovery and re-use to avoid costly water and sewer piping/lift station construction and maintenance. ONWS reuses treated wastewater to save costs on potable water and drastically reduce potable water demands.

✔️Rainwater Collecting & Reuse
Rainwater collection points throughout the neighbourhoods to collect rainwater.

✔️Dual Rain Water
Recovered Wastewater System to utilize filtered rainwater or wastewater.

✔️Drip Irrigation
Automatic timed drip irrigation system using rainwater and grey water throughout the neighbourhoods to ensure water efficiency and reduced water evaporation.

✔️Integration of Treated Water Storage and Storm Water Retention and Storage
Man-made ponds and canals to store water. A natural place for bird watching.

✔️Circular Design
Design that integrates wastewater storage as the source for irrigation to avoid drought conditions and maintain greenery at minimal cost.

✔️Water Usage Tracking and Report
Performance of individual and total neighbourhood water consumption. Data will be used to improve water & wastewater management.

Local and sustainable food

Overview
Food grown onsite and sourced locally so food is as fresh and healthy as possible. Possible greenhouses on site.

How it’s measured:

➡ Food Production Performance
Tracking Data collected regarding the variety and quantity of organic foods grown. Data shared with the Verandah neighbourhoods to improve production and consumption of locally grown foods.

➡ Food Waste Performance Tracking
Individual and community food waste and composting data recorded daily and reported on monthly. Monthly targets set and reflected on. Feedback used to assist with meal planning and food deliveries to reduce food waste.

The Actions:

✔️Edible Landscaping
Fruit trees and berry bushes planted throughout the neighbourhoods.

✔️Organic Fruits and Vegetables
Seasonal shared community gardens, personal garden plots, community fruit trees and possibly indoor hydroponics for year round growing.

✔️Food Delivery
Electronic individual resident grocery lists will be encouraged with groceries regularly delivered by local grocery stores for products which cannot be grown in the community.

✔️Farm to Table Dining
Community grown and local food served in the restaurant at The Hub.

✔️Food Sharing
Use of food sharing apps to encourage food sharing within the community.

✔️Bee Hives
Fresh local organic honey.

Travel and transport

Overview

The Verandah Neighborhoods are being intelligently designed for people, not cars. Covered parking will be on the peripheral.

How it’s measured:

➡ Data collected regarding use of shared bicycles, electric buggies and nature trails to improve usage and availability.

Action:

✔️Electric Community Carts/Buggies
Shared electric and manual carts located near parking lots to assist in transporting groceries and other items to homes.

✔️Shared Bicycles
Bicycles for residents and guests to use as part of The Verandah culture of sharing.

✔️Nature Trails
Nature trails throughout the neighbourhoods for walking, biking and electric golf carts.

✔️Pedestrian Friendly
Vehicles will be corralled on the peripheral of the community so walking throughout the community will be safe and secure.

✔️Shared Transportation
Providing car sharing & links to public transportation.

Materials and products

Overview
Sustainable materials and products mindfully selected to minimize waste and increase product life-extension.

How it’s measured:

➡ Resource Use Performance Tracking
Building materials tracked and recorded throughout the building process to ensure optimal resource usage and recovery of resources. Landfill waste and recycling data collected throughout the building process with data used to set reduction goals.

➡ Materials List
Complete building materials list accessible

Actions:

✔️Lean Construction & Sustainable Practices
Double wall construction; Air tight construction exceeding 0.5 acph; Heat recovery ventilators; Occupancy based control for heating & lighting;

✔️Building Responsibly
Committed to using materials which: - Are non-toxic and non-allergenic; - Not onthe Red List of the most harmful chemicals - Have the longest life-cycle and lowest life cycle cost; - Are local or regionally available, ethically sourced and sustainably harvested

✔️Energy Star Appliances
Use of energy efficient appliances throughout all Verandah homes.

Zero waste

Overview
On-site systems designed and implemented with the circular and sharing economy in mind with the goal of zero waste to landfill.

How it’s measured:

➡ Recycling & Waste Reduction Performance Tracking
Individual and community recycling and waste-to landfill data recorded and reported with targets set and reflected on.

Zero carbon energy

Overview
A neighbourhood run entirely on renewable energy and having no negative impact on the environment.

How it’s measured:

➡ Energy Performance Tracking
Individual and community energy consumption data recorded and shared. Quarterly targets set and reflected on.

Actions:

✔️100% Renewable Energy
The Verandah Neighbourhoods will be powered by photo-voltaic solar panels.