Living Lightly

At Treehouse Village, our commitment to the planet goes far beyond building energy efficiency into our homes.

Low-Impact Development

We’ve been committed to low-impact development at every stage from land development to lifestyle:

  • A reduced physical footprint, disturbing only a fraction of our property to preserve the old-growth forest
  • Passive House design standard for all 30 condos, including highly efficient building envelopes which help create minimal energy needs
  • Multiple homes per building, with stacked units and shared walls to reduce building materials and heating demand
  • Low-impact stormwater management through bioswales and water-retaining landscape features
  • Intentional project management — hiring locally where possible, as well as reducing construction waste and the volume of earth trucked off site
  • Buildings designed with health in mind, prioritizing good indoor air quality and use of construction materials with low toxicity
  • Shared amenities such as meeting spaces, guest rooms, play areas, and a fitness studio to reduce the size of our homes

Environmentally Friendly Practices

  • Solar panels on the rooftops of all buildings, generating a large percentage of our electrical needs — with the goal to ultimately reach net zero
  • An EV-powered car share program, with 11 EV chargers on site
  • Ample bike parking and storage, as well as tools and support for repairs
  • Shared outdoor clothes lines
  • Shared laundry facilities available in the Common House
  • Shared tools, appliances, and yard/gardening equipment
  • Composting & community food gardens, reducing food waste and packaging
  • A commercial-grade kitchen and large dining hall in the Common House, giving residents the opportunity to share meals
  • A 1000-sq.ft. workshop and a community of skilled residents who can help fix a wobbly chair or broken toaster

Social Sustainability

  • The use of Sociocracy, a consent-based governance system, giving everyone an equal voice and dispersing power throughout the organization
  • The learning and practice of Nonviolent Communication, also known as Compassionate Communication
  • The intentional selection of Bridgewater as our location, due to the town’s progressive vision and award-winning work as a sustainable municipality
  • The intentional incorporation of a high level of accessibility and visitability into our designs

Economic Stability

  • We bank with a locally owned and managed credit union
  • Our development company was owned by us, its residents — we did not pay an outside developer
  • We continue to hire local professionals and purchase local materials wherever possible to keep our money in the local economy

We are dedicated to addressing the sustainability of Treehouse Village in any way we can. It’s a responsibility shared among all our residents. We welcome input from the broader community, so please reach out to us at info@treehousevillage.ca. We’d love to hear from you.