Sustainable communities are a way of the future. Most people are becoming more interested in having a green home with economic, social and environmental features that are going to cut costs and not compromise the environment for future generations.

Sustainable communities believe in holistic features to maximize the environmental, social and economic benefit. Should you choose a sustainable community to build your new home? Here is what you should know first.

What makes a community sustainable?

A sustainable community includes major features like ecological protection, affordable and livable housing, urban infill and sustainable transport. Other features include water, energy, sewage and stormwater, local economy, village centers and density or urban design.

What to find out from the sustainable community developer

If you’re considering living in a sustainable community, you should be asking questions to find out if the ecological and habitat inventory of the site was done and if there are plans to create a place for ecological protection of swamps, creeks, groves of trees and nesting sites on the site.

Find out if there is a minimum level of energy efficiency and if there is a district heating and cooling system included. They may have plans to encourage active solar design and this is a great question to ask.

Find out if there are car-free areas where you can park and walk. Are there pedestrian trails? Does public transit or light rail transit reach the area? It’s beneficial to ask if there is a strategy for local economic development and if the land has been zoned for commercial or industrial use.

Ask the developer if there are a range of housing types and prices and if there are plans to include a community hall, parks or open green space.

Features

The most important features when considering a sustainable community are the environmental impacts including protection of environmentally sensitive areas, reduction in construction waste and how energy efficient the property is, the economic impact including efficient utility and transportation investments on property and energy consumption reduction, as well as the social impact including pedestrian trails and resident associations.

These are both short term and long term considerations for residents and developers which are taken seriously in sustainable communities.