Sustainable Building Policy

Sustainable Building Policy

The Sustainable Building Policy ensures that facilities are developed:

  • in a sustainable manner;
  • to consider all triple bottom line (social, economic and environmental) impacts;
  • to enhance The City’s reputation as a fiscally responsible municipal government; and
  • to address the health and well-being of the people who occupy the buildings.

This policy applies to new buildings or major renovations where The City pays over $1 million or 33 per cent of the cost. It covers design, construction, management, retrofits, operations, and demolition.

Policy and supporting resources

Calgary's Sustainable Building Policy, first adopted in 2004, has been updated to reflect the latest green building trends and The City's goals. The newest version of the Policy and supporting documents include updated project requirements to align with the Calgary Climate Strategy.

Guidance Document

Guidance Document

Sustainable Building Guidance Document

Sustainable Building Guidance Document

This document gives guidance on how to make City of Calgary building projects more sustainable. It includes:

  • How the Sustainable Building Policy is applied to projects.
  • Who is involved and when decisions need to be made.
  • Specific sustainability targets and requirements.
  • Links to Council’s Strategic Direction, City Policies, and City Strategies.
Download the document

Policy

Policy

Sustainable Building Policy

Sustainable Building Policy

This Policy makes sure The City plans, builds, and takes care of buildings by thinking about:

  • Operating costs
  • Climate change effects
  • The environment
  • The people who use the buildings

The Policy also explains who is responsible for what, how things are managed, and what needs to be reported. It provides the Sustainability Principles that should be followed for all projects covered by the Policy.

Download the policy

Other Resources

Other Resources

Sustainable Building Scopes of Work

These documents explain the work that project teams need to do to design and construct buildings that follow The Policy.

Future climate information

The City, with support from Alberta Ecotrust, created design tools to help buildings handle future climate conditions.

Other resources

These resources can help project teams design, build, and run green buildings.

Our progress

Calgary is a leader in constructing green buildings, both on its own and with partners. Learn more about our progress in making our city's buildings more sustainable by exploring these pages.

Frequently asked questions

How does The City define sustainability goals for a building project?

The City’s engineers work with project sponsors, planners, managers, and teams to set sustainability goals. These goals align with The City’s priorities and consider the unique challenges and prospects of each building project.

How does the Policy design buildings to handle current and future climate hazards?

The City has set rules for all projects to check climate risks. New design rules for all buildings address key climate hazards like extreme heat, severe storms, wildfire smoke, and river flooding.

How does the Policy help reduce greenhouse gas emissions from building construction and operation?

Buildings paid for by The City must be built to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40 per cent compared to regular buildings. The City is working on low-carbon and net-zero pilot projects to further reduce building emissions.

Does the Sustainable Building Policy apply to private development?

The Policy applies to all new buildings that are City-owned or City-financed, not to private development. The Sustainable Building Guidance Document is a helpful guide for anyone who wants to make their projects more sustainable.

Who can I contact for more information on The City’s Sustainable Building Policy and green buildings?

The City’s Sustainable Infrastructure Team would be happy to answer your questions. You can reach them at SBP@calgary.ca.

Featured projects

  • Ralph Klein Park

    The Environmental Education Centre at Ralph Klein Park is a LEED Platinum certified project.

  • Calgary Composting Facility

    The Calgary Composting Facility is the first commercial building in Alberta registered under LEED® v4.

  • Contact us

    For more information about The City of Calgary’s Sustainable Building Policy, contact the policy stewards at SBP@calgary.ca.

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