Best Practices for Building & Living on Lasqueti

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Flying Rowan Design



Contents
introduction       1
ecosystem approach to site    
Planning: Know the land  2
Tree Removal:     
Think Twice Before you Cut    3
water Management: Fresh       
water is a Precious Resource 4
landscaping:      
go native, avoid Turf   5
Construction site Management 6
House Design    7
Building Materials   8
Heating systems   9
waste water systems    
and water Conservation  10
Renewable energy systems   11
energy Conservation   12
Maintenance & waste Reduction 13
The last word    15
Possible Funding solutions    16
information & Resources  16

THis DoCuMenT is a compilation of 
ideas from people who have built and 
lived on lasqueti, and attempts to sum-
marize what we’ve collectively learned 
about building and developing property 
sustainably in this unique place. we 
hope that these ideas can help lasqueti 
to continue working towards being a 
sustainable community. The document 
also includes information about financial 
incentives and other resources that can 
help you achieve these goals.
We hope you find these ideas useful 
– we want you to be curious and skepti-
cal, and to question the assumptions 
behind typical development patterns.  
Most of all, we want you to benefit from 
and contribute to the collective wealth 
of experience and innovation on build-
ing and living in this special place. 
if you have any input as to how these 
Best Practices do or do not assist you, 
or how this document can be changed 
to make it better, please contact the 
islands Trust at 250-247-2063 or by  
e-mail at northinfo@islandstrust.bc.ca.
we thank the (unknown to us) authors of 
the salt spring sustainability Checklist, 
which was used as our inspiration and 
starting point. 

1 
Why on Lasqueti?
lasqueti’s unique geography and land-
use patterns present a host of unique 
challenges for building in relative iso-
lation from municipal infrastructure 
and amenities.  Many of the “standard 
approaches” to residential construction 
simply don’t work well here, and cer-
tainly are not in harmony with lasqueti’s 
rural character and rugged wildness 
– characteristics that presumably, at 
least in part, drew you to lasqueti in the 
first place.
Who should consider using these 
ideas?
all current and prospective lasqueti 
island landowners who are preparing to 
build a new house, a cottage, or an ac-
cessory building, or planning to remodel 
or add to an existing dwelling, or to 
build or reroute a driveway, or to install 
or retrofit their power, water, or waste 
water systems.
These best practices are specific to our 
unique geography, climate, and culture, 
yet general enough to be applied to all 
residential construction projects.
How should I use these ideas?
This is an educational document, so the 
earlier you consult it, the easier it will 
be to include its ideas in your project.  
Review these ideas with your architect, 
designer and contractor, or use it your-
self before drawing your plans. initia-
tives you take at t

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