The idea for SEFC grew out of the City’s Clouds of Change report and earlier thinking around Sustainable Development. The City used the land it had acquired along the southeast shores of False Creek to create a master plan area of City and privately owned land that would develop following the principles of sustainability. The SEFC Green Building Strategy created the framework for green building design and implementation on the site.

 The previously contaminated inlet was remediated after construction of a sheet pile cofferdam to facilitate remediation in the inlet without the complication of tidal waters and to allow this work to be done during the Fisheries sensitive window.  The island was constructed to create more shoreline to add high quality intertidal habitat for fish and upland habitat for birds, other animals and plantings.  Park land was used for storage of contaminated material (capped with clean material). This helped reduce need to truck off site, saving money, time and energy. The wetland which treats site stormwater before release to False Creek is lined to prevent contamination of water . 

 Below are the key highlights of the SEFC Phase 1 program:

•  US Green Building Council LEED for Neighbourhood Development Pilot Program participant – targeting Gold certification, SEFC phase 1 buildings are applying for LEED Gold certification (15 buildings in all), Community centre – targeting LEED Platinum certification, Net Zero building is to produce as much energy as it uses in a given year
•  High density, complete community design, with excellent access to transit, bikeways and high quality ped environments
•  District heating system (NEU) providing thermal energy for space heating and hot water; first community energy system in N. America to use sewer heat recovery as source for base energy load
•  Urban agriculture strategy, rain barrels and composting incorporated into design of rooftop gardens
•  stormwater management plan; rainwater collected, treated and used for irrigation and toilet flushing, reducing potable water needs by 50%
•  Radiant heating and cooling through capillary like mat of tubes filled with water in ceilings- fed by (NEU)
•  In-suite resident monitoring of energy consumption
•  Self-activating shades on west sides of buildings and extended balconies to reduce solar loading on sides of buildings
•  Including the building scale features above and savings of the NEU, the energy use of buildings will be reduced by up to 50%
•  Millennium market development provided $750,000 to Building Opportunities for Business through Community Benefits Agreement to train and employ 120 inner city individuals Millennium also committed to procure $15 million from inner city business (target was exceeded)
•  Mixed income community with goal of providing housing for all ages, families and seniors and built form intended to create vibrant, healthy community with street level engagement