Toronto policymakers are aiming to improve brand awareness of the city’s green development standard. A new report to city councillors recommends a more ambitious and pointed communications strategy to help the public draw clearer connections between building performance, the quality of their living and work spaces and environmental impacts. In turn, that’s seen as a means to encourage developers to pursue the standard’s voluntary Tier 2 and Tier 3 criteria for higher performance.

“The TGS (Toronto Green Standard) is not well known by the public and investment in the higher, voluntary performance measures are not perceived as a marketable premium by developers,” the report states.

After conducting interviews and focus groups with a range of stakeholders last year, the city’s consultant concluded that the design community and affiliated green building advocates have the best understanding of the standard. For others, it is perceived as confusing and few people in the general public would make a reflexive positive association with Tier 2 or Tier 3 in the way they might respond to other more commonly recognized certifications.

“The analysis suggests that although the TGS is not a traditional consumer brand, a need for broad public awareness is essential to promote more uptake amongst designers and builders,” the report to council states. “The City of Toronto must influence the consumer market and industry with a clearer value proposition to achieve its green standard goals.”

As a start, the green standard’s webpages on Toronto’s website are getting a makeover, and more social media postings are planned to highlight developments that have achieved Tier 2 or Tier 3 certification. That’s to be followed with “public relations tools” to help developers brand and market Tier 2 and Tier 3 buildings, and efforts to quantify, benchmark and strategically communicate the ESG profile and potential spinoff value gains Tier 2 and Tier 3 development could attain.