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Which Infill Housing Issues Are You Exploring?
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Do you have neighbourhoods developed before 1980?
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Is your municipality growing?
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Are you looking to strengthen municipal finances?
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Interested in expanding housing options for a wider range of households?
Is low-rise infill right for my municipality?
If you said yes to the above questions, low-rise multi-unit infill is worth exploring. Your next step will be to understand the unique barriers and opportunities for infill in your municipality.
This report analyses zoning bylaws, infrastructure, street contexts, and other local inputs to help planners understand what’s holding back the development industry from building low-rise infill housing. It outlines barriers like zoning limits, financing, business model constraints, and infrastructure challenges, while highlighting opportunities for sustainable growth that preserve community character and supports complete community development.
Which areas in my municipality are ideal for low-rise infill?
Understanding the capacity of older neighbourhoods—including existing infrastructure, parcel sizes, and other regulatory and geographic factors—can uncover valuable opportunities to expand low-rise housing and estimate how much housing can be added in sought-after areas close to downtown.
Our infill opportunity mapping brings these insights together, helping planners quickly identify, block-by-block, where and to what extent neighbourhoods can support increased low-rise development.
Our bylaw changed. Why hasn’t it sparked more infill housing?
The housing industry is shaped by a complex set of influences, and anticipating outcomes means understanding all of the factors that affect construction, housing, and the business of development.
This report analyses zoning bylaws, infrastructure, street contexts, and other local inputs to help planners understand what’s holding back the development industry from building low-rise infill housing. It outlines barriers like zoning limits, financing, business model constraints, and infrastructure challenges, while highlighting opportunities for sustainable growth that preserve community character and supports complete community development.
Using BuildingIN’s market-forecasting methodology, municipalities and planners can test different combinations of regulatory levers—such as zoning changes, density allowances, parking requirements, and height limits—to understand their potential outcomes on low-rise infill development. This approach involves running scenario simulations that provide a comprehensive picture of how various regulatory adjustments will affect housing supply, neighbourhood character, municipal revenues, and environmental goals.
Will our updated zoning trigger the intended market response we need?
You’ve just updated your zoning by-law, but the real question is whether those changes will actually deliver the housing supply you’re aiming for. Our market forecasting approach combines expertise in architecture, planning, and development to anticipate how the market is likely to respond, rather than relying on optimistic assumptions. That means looking closely at whether the regulations create the conditions for low-rise infill business models—including modular construction—to succeed at scale.
Using BuildingIN’s market-forecasting methodology, municipalities and planners can test different combinations of regulatory levers—such as zoning changes, density allowances, parking requirements, and height limits—to understand their potential outcomes on low-rise infill development. This approach involves running scenario simulations that provide a comprehensive picture of how various regulatory adjustments will affect housing supply, neighbourhood character, municipal revenues, and environmental goals.
When budgets are tight, how can we fund affordable housing and maintain infrastructure?
Increasing density in existing neighbourhoods opens a steady stream of revenue that helps ease the pressure on tight municipal budgets. Instead of constantly deciding what to defer or cut, municipalities gain the financial flexibility to invest in critical initiatives such as affordable housing, infrastructure upgrades, and transit improvements. This revenue uplift doesn’t just help balance the books—it provides the breathing room municipal leaders need to respond effectively to growth pressures and community needs.
Our fiscal modelling service shows how different growth scenarios affect municipal finances over time. We compare business‑as‑usual outcomes with alternative approaches to highlight how planning choices influence property tax and development charge revenues. With clear maps and figures, we make it easy to see how changes in housing outcomes translate directly into significant differences in long‑term municipal revenue.
How can we meet emission-reduction goals with limited resources?
Low-rise infill housing is a practical solution for accelerating progress to net-zero emissions because multi-unit buildings are inherently more energy-efficient. Efficient construction techniques, combined with shared walls, floors, and ceilings, reduce heating and cooling needs compared to single-family homes. In addition to these environmental benefits, low-rise infill housing focuses growth within existing city limits, effectively minimizing daily travel distances and supporting active and public transportation offerings.
Our emissions scenario modeling quantifies and maps the projected building and transportation emission reductions associated with proposed infill developments compared to existing housing stock over time. Leveraging block-level GIS data on buildings and properties, we analyze greenhouse gas emissions under a business-as-usual scenario versus multiple regulatory scenarios. The resulting visuals illustrate how prioritizing infill growth over outward expansion can achieve substantial household carbon footprint reductions, supporting sustainable urban planning decisions.
How can we ensure infill housing fits the low-rise neighbourhood character?
Neighbourhood concerns about infill often stem from fears that new development will erode community character and harm property values—their “nest egg.” Such backlash can stall much-needed growth and frustrate planning efforts.
Our solution uses a simple addition to zoning that complements existing regulations without requiring a full rewrite. Our zoning is smart and simple, and leverages a form-based approach to regulate front facades, ensuring socially-dynamic infill buildings that fit right in.
Our 3D modelling shows how infill actually peppers into neighbourhood blocks over time, changing streetscapes gradually but noticeably. Planners can see both typical scenarios—how low‑rise units fit in as blocks evolve—and worst‑case outcomes, where zoning allows designs that disrupt the street. These visualizations make it easier to anticipate impacts, manage community expectations, and refine policy for better long‑term results.
How Can BuildingIN Be Implemented in my Municipality?
You can choose individual BuildingIN solutions tailored to your municipality's goals, or take part in our complete 6‑month program. An Implementation Lead will guide you through every step, beginning with an upfront assessment of barriers and opportunities to ensure BuildingIN is the right fit.
Simulated outcomes are a core feature of the program, providing clear insights against your targets in easy‑to‑share reports. The full program includes everything cities need—public consultation workshops, collaboration with key municipal and industry stakeholders, infill opportunity mapping, scenario testing, and 3D modelling.
As the program concludes, your city will receive a complete package ready for Council approval. This includes a record of all program work, maps, recommended additions to zoning, parking strategies, and recommendations for follow‑up action.
Want to Learn More?
Tell us a little bit about what you're looking for and a member of our team will reach out to explore potential solutions to meet your needs.