The encouragement (via the development community) of multi-family housing in an effort to create broad and affordable housing choice for all ages is a key initiative in moving the demographic agenda forward.

What is non-traditional housing? Most categories within this classification are multi-family, and include apartment buildings, condominiums, and second units in back yards - often above garages. Okotoks modified its Land Use regulations to allow for consideration of second units in established neighbourhoods, and has worked with developers to identify special second unit land use districts in new subdivisions.

Okotoks has almost achieved its 15 year mixed housing target in only six years as a result of some very conscientious and purposeful negotiation with the development community. Master planned communities have a 30% non-traditional target attached to them, and this is enforced.

This is a remarkable achievement that Okotoks is proud of given community context as a traditional bedroom community for Calgary. Non-traditional housing growth has averaged 37% of total residential development over the last five years. It is a foundational element of our ability to continue to generate housing affordability - a key criticism of development models such as Portland, Oregon's and Okotoks' - which have established development boundaries that can have the effect of significantly boosting real estate prices.

House assessment values have increased an average of 4.4% for each of the last four years, which is a "tame" number in light of the Calgary region's pronounced economic boom. It should also be noted that fiscal responsibility is a fourth pillar of Sustainable Okotoks. We need to build, create and manage resources and initiatives on behalf of people that have a keen focus on the bottom line. In this light, the bottom line is impact on taxes. Total taxes on the average Okotoks house have increased 1% for each of the last four years, a remarkable achievement considering inflation in Alberta has averaged about 2% a year in the same period.

• Buildings consume 40% of the worlds total energy and 16% of the water consumption.
• A standard wood frame house consumes over 1 acre of forest and the waste created during construction averages from 1 to 3 tonnes.
• Commercially available cost effective residential energy technologies could reduce overall energy consumption int he US by on third.

• The EnerGuide rating service is a national initiative that allows builders to work with an energy adviser to increase the energy efficiency of a home by making energy conscious adjustments to the house plan before it is built. Implementing these energy efficiency changes is voluntary and the house does not need to meet a minimum EnerGuide rating.
  
• R-2000 is a national initiative that requires homes to be built using environmentally friendly and renewable products. It includes comprehensive training and certification for homebuilders, as well as quality assurance inspection, testing and certification of new houses to guarantee that they meet the R-2000 Standard. R-2000 homes are about 30 percent more energy efficient than conventional new homes and must achieve a minimum energy efficiency rating of 80 on the EnerGuide rating scale
  
• Regional initiatives provide options for builders who would like to increase the EnerGuide rating of new homes by following an energy efficient building standard other than R-2000. Each initiative is created independent of the others and encourages energy efficient home building in a way that is tailored to the new housing market in their region.

A home can receive certification for more than one initiative if the homebuilder has followed the requirements to have the home built under those initiatives and if the initiatives are available in that region. Homes are often built so they receive the national EnerGuide rating label and the regional ENERGY STAR for New Homes label. There are also homes that have received the national R-2000 label and the regional ENERGY STAR for New Homes label.

   

• cost-effective energy efficiency and environmental responsibility
• careful construction by trained professionals
• a testing and certification regime for each home

The benefits of living in an R-2000 home:

• Quality: R-2000 is a system for building and certifying new homes to a higher energy efficiency standard, well beyond what building codes require. With R-2000, energy efficiency and construction quality go hand in hand – you can't get one without the other. Best of all, any new home of any design can be built to the R-2000 Standard.
• Comfort: R-2000 homes are great to live in. Fresh indoor air, even temperatures, few moisture problems and the use of environmentally responsible materials mean year-round comfort.
• Health: The quality of the air we breathe affects how we feel. R-2000 homes are built to deliver fresh indoor air. They also give you greater control over moisture and air pollutants in your living environment.
• Peace of mind: R-2000 homes go through the most demanding quality assurance process in the industry. Only trained and licensed builders can build them. And every R-2000 home is subject to independent inspections and tests that conventional homes don't receive. The R-2000 certificate is your proof.
• Energy savings: No other new home can stretch your heating dollars further than an R-2000 home. The secret? – energy efficiency that's "designed in," not "added on."
• State-of-the-art technology: R-2000 homes are the result of 20 years of intensive research and development by the Government of Canada and its industry partners. Home buyers get tried and tested technology, a higher-quality new home and lasting value for the future.
• Protecting our environment: R-2000 homes lead the way in environmental responsibility. Using a wide range of environmentally improved materials and building techniques helps keep Canada's environment healthy. And it reduces demands on our natural resources. R-2000 homeowners get a better new home and help protect our environment for future generations.