Canopy works with individuals or organizations that own or control very special pieces of land and who are committed to preserving and enhancing the natural environment, culture and community surrounding the parcel. We help clients envision and determine the best and highest use of a property by managing the development process and ultimately bringing the vision to reality. The development potential for a site is realized by incorporating the client's vision, a commitment to sustainability and Canopy's innovative approach to conservation, real estate and resort development.

Our team adds particular value in the early stages of a project, when the vision and concept are translated into an effective business model. We help clients refine and clearly articulate their vision in a manner that is well suited to the development process. This includes creating project documentation, such as Executive Summaries, Business Plans and other supporting collateral, that are used to effectively communicate the opportunity to potential investors, partners and relevant stakeholders. We also manage conservation planning, the development of preserves, tax issues associated with conservation management and the development of foundations to monitor, regenerate, and manage protected lands.  Key factors, in particular return on investment to for- and non-profit investors, scale, phasing and the ability for formal conservation measures, are weighted heavily in the creation of each project's development model.

Our core capabilities are highlighted by the following:

Project Conceptualization and Definition
Canopy's unique lens on the world of development and conservation allows for creative project concepts and plans. We have extensive experience in working with raw pieces of land to establish and articulate compelling and site-responsive design concepts from which the formal development and financing process flows.

Development Strategy
Our capabilities extend beyond simply establishing the appropriate design concept for a site by including that initial step within a comprehensive development strategy. This strategy reflects environmental goals, social and cultural integration, market factors, permitting, project financing, infrastructure and construction in addition to design and other key elements of the overall process.

Sustainability & Conservation
The ability to plan and implement innovative and effective sustainability and conservation strategies is one of our core competencies. Each site on which we engage brings its own unique set of conditions and requirements that drive us to the appropriate sustainability and conservation strategies. We evaluate and integrate a range of techniques, from green building to renewable energy solutions to formal conservation measures, into each of our projects to ensure the longterm preservation and health of the environments and communities in which we work.

Project Documentation
(Project Summaries, Teaser Sheets, Financing Documents, Business Plans, etc.)
Canopy is well versed in identifying and creating the documents required for project planning and financing. We have crafted a wide range of documents and plans depending on the needs of each individual project and phase of the development process. We create professional quality documents that represent the compelling aspects of the project and convey the critical information required by consumers of those documents, whether they are potential investors, government officials or project stakeholders.

Additional capabilities:

Site Buildability
Analysis of slope, hydrology, vegetative cover, archeology, previous land use, and other factors to determine what percentage of land and what specific areas of the site can be effectively developed.

Conceptual Design
Conceptual planning with specific consideration of main programmatic elements that are desired for the project and their optimal placement within the site.

Visual Studies
Creation of a series of visual representations of specific aspects of the site and possible development scenarios, including architectural renderings when desirable, that illustrate various build-out models.

Permitting Analysis
Determination of key permitting factors and likelihood of entitlement for proposed development model. Incorporate elements such as conservation and sustainable approaches that can fast track permitting processes.

Market Assessment
High-level study of factors likely to determine the market for a project on the site in question based on regional factors such as accessibility, political stability, travel trends, and residential sales.

Infrastructure Analysis
Identification of site and regional characteristics that will determine infrastructure approach, carried out with a specific focus on renewable energy, reduction of automobiles, pedestrian scale development, and other sustainable strategies.

Financial Modeling & Strategy
Careful analysis of the financial model required for the success of the project based on the characteristics of the site, region, and market. Associated financing strategy and support materials are developed as desired.

Risk Assessment
Gain an understanding of develop strategies related to risk factors that could impact a development project, including: entitlement, infrastructure, government and political, buildability, natural disaster and marketplace risk.

Community Development
The Canopy team provides expertise in town and community planning. We apply the concepts of The New Urbanism to resort development in a village model where appropriate. The result is unique and sustainable places created at a scale that supports a strong economic model.