These One Planet Principles are the DNA for our projects through design, construction, and into operation.
Health & Happiness commitments will help create a more genuinely wealthy community, where residents are healthier and safer, know their neighbors, and have more time to spend with friends and family, exercising, and being outdoors in bountiful nearby nature.
Zero Carbon sets standards for ultra-efficient buildings powered by 100% renewable energy - giving you lower energy bills that are "future-proofed" from the ever-rising costs of oil, coal, and natural gas.
Zero Waste means spending less on unnecessary disposable consumer goods and packaging; knowing that your food/organic waste is being used as fertilizer in local landscaping and gardens; providing more materials for recycling businesses to put to re-use; reducing the impact of contaminated landfills and eliminating the production of the potent greenhouse gas methane.
Sustainable Transport means less time stuck in traffic jams and more time with family or friends; spending less on the rising cost of gasoline; getting more exercise bicycling or walking to nearby stores and jobs; safer streets for children; saving the planet and our lungs with less harmful smog, less pavement, and a massive reduction in greenhouse gases from our cars.
Local & Sustainable Materials strengthens the local economy with more jobs and a higher tax base. It means living in healthy, non-toxic buildings with unbeatable indoor air quality; spending less money maintaining imported materials designed for other climates; building with recycled materials; and greatly reducing smog and greenhouse gas emissions in material transport.
Local & Sustainable Food grown organically in on-site gardens and on nearby farms means a healthier diet; convenient and affordable in-season meals that are fresher, better-tasting and more nutritious; a stronger local agricultural economy; fewer impacts from pesticides and petroleum-based fertilizers; and less smog and greenhouse gas emissions from food transport.
Sustainable Water initiatives will slash water bills and lower energy bills by using less hot water. Fewer chemicals will be used for water treatment. Less water will be contaminated in sewers, ending up instead where nature intended – in ponds, wetlands, rivers, and coastal zones.
Natural Habitats & Wildlife protection and enhancement hosts a wide variety of outdoor recreation and leisure activities; provides free ecological services, like carbon sequestration, water and air purification; contributes to the beauty and value of the District; and helps reverse habitat loss with benefits for local endangered species
Culture & Heritage efforts enhance a sense of local identity, history, and civic pride, with regular events, festivals, and farmer’s markets.
Equity & Fair Trade will create new green-collar jobs; provide new affordable homes; and ensure that stores have a large selection of fair trade goods, giving poor producers in developing countries a fair price for their hard work.
