Olympic Village & Southeast False Creek Updates Discussion

[wrenegade]

Originally Posted by AlexYVR

I'm sorry, but since when is environmental sustainability a luxury? This is the kind of thinking that is hamstringing efforts to reduce LEED costs and create integrated sustainable design for ALL buildings.

Environmental sustainability is a luxury because it costs more. I realize this kind of thinking hurts efforts to reduce LEED costs, but we're kind of in the situation where you're damned if you do, damned if you don't. If we don't make everyone build LEED Gold, it will remain expensive. But, when we build LEED Gold now, it is very expensive. As a result, for social housing this is a luxury because in the end it increases the cost to the city/taxpayer.