A pilot project is winding down in Burlington, Ont. that accelerates the permitting process for industrial and commercial buildings.
By using AI technology, the platform digitizes the rules in Burlington’s zoning bylaws relating to such aforementioned projects.
City of Burlington executive director of digital services and chief information officer Chad MacDonald explains the pilot is structured into four strategic phases, each designed to build upon the previous to develop a robust AI-driven assessment tool for building applications.
The four phases include:
Phase 1: An industrial submission review to analyze various design submissions against the City of Burlington’s “Employment Zone” zoning bylaws. This phase aims to grasp the complexity of the codes and gather data to develop an assessment template for the AI algorithm.
Phase 2: Assessment template design. This is to create a standardized assessment template tailored to the City of Burlington’s zoning bylaws, particularly for industrial designs. This will form the groundwork for the subsequent automation phase, shaping the AI’s evaluation criteria within the eCheck engine.
Phase 3: Automation feasibility with the eCheck engine. This phase determines the feasibility of automating the assessment process. This will outline the automation techniques suitable for encoding into the eCheck system, focusing on key zoning features like setbacks, heights and parking ratios.
Phase 4: Generating sample eCheck reports to test the AI’s performance by processing three “real world” industrial design submissions to the City of Burlington. This will showcase the practical application of phases one through three and the AI’s capability to generate reports that align with Burlington’s zoning bylaws.
“It’s crucial to emphasize that our approach is iterative. We are committed to refining the algorithm continuously. This involves a rigorous process of evaluating the output and making iterative enhancements to the engine,” said MacDonald.
Burlington is the first Canadian city to use the technology specifically for development on areas that have been set aside in land-use planning for commercial or industrial development.
“This proof-of-concept represents a pivotal step in harnessing the power of AI to not only streamline complex processes but also foster a more collaborative and efficient interface between the city and its constituents. By integrating cutting-edge technology into urban planning, we’re preparing for a future where digital tools help our city act faster, work smarter and welcome everyone. We’re not only optimizing the building application process but also setting a new standard for how technology can be used to serve our community more effectively,” said MacDonald.
The AI-powered technology’s ability to review designs quickly and efficiently provides value to the city, customers and staff, including:
- Saved time, by reducing the number of manual exchanges between applicants and city staff;
- allowing applicants to have immediate feedback on proposals and allowing for modifications prior to submission;
- faster approvals and turnaround time on issuing building permits;
- shortened design time;
- higher quality of design submissions;
- financial savings on the cost of multiple design revisions; and
- enhanced transparency about the City of Burlington’s development review process.
The pilot began in late July and will conclude by the end of 2023. The objective is to provide essential data on the value such a tool may provide for Burlington in accomplishing stated organizational goals related to housing.
The platform can also be used to check design compliance on all forms of development. While this option is not currently part of the pilot, applicants can pick a specific site, upload their design to the platform and immediately see a 3D visualization which allows users to assess whether their design meets the rules. To date, reaction from users has been encouraging.
“While the proof-of-concept is still in progress and comprehensive feedback is forthcoming, the indications we have received so far are quite promising. As the project has progressed, the eCheck engine has demonstrated a high degree of precision in interpreting our bylaws and generating reports,” said MacDonald.
According to city officials, next steps after the pilot concludes may include further pilots or a larger-scale rollout.
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