Unlocking Hidden Value: How Stakeholder Engagement Transforms Real Estate Development Decisions - A VM Case Study from Land Development
October 20, 2026
16:00 (PST), 17:00 (MST), 19:00 (EST), 20:00 (AST)
Registration: https://forms.gle/SnkKzcbaq86WinYs9
Description:
Real estate development decisions are often constrained by competing interests: regulatory requirements, design assumptions, cost pressures, and stakeholder priorities. Conventional approaches treat these as fixed parameters. Value Engineering methodology offers a different path, one where structured engagement with jurisdictions, municipal staff, and technical consultants reframes constraints as collaborative problem-solving opportunities. When stakeholders align around shared project objectives early in the value engineering process, they contribute insights that surface hidden efficiencies invisible to any single party. This presentation
explores how deliberate stakeholder engagement transforms development decisions by building consensus, validating alternatives, and unlocking economic value that benefits all parties. We illustrate these principles through a 92-unit residential
development in Town of Newmarket that had already secured Official Plan Amendment and Zoning bylaw amendment approval. A collaborative Value Engineering workshop and analysis with the Town, York Region, Central York Fire Services, and our ownership, development and engineering partners identified $2.01 million in savings (25.3% cost reduction) while preserving full program density. Critical to the outcome: municipalities validated the redesigned site plan as the strongest option reviewed, demonstrating how VM methodology creates alignment rather than friction. Attendees will learn how structured value engineering serves as a communication framework that converts regulatory constraints into design opportunities, and how transparent stakeholder engagement at the right moments unlocks value that isolated optimization cannot achieve.
explores how deliberate stakeholder engagement transforms development decisions by building consensus, validating alternatives, and unlocking economic value that benefits all parties. We illustrate these principles through a 92-unit residential
development in Town of Newmarket that had already secured Official Plan Amendment and Zoning bylaw amendment approval. A collaborative Value Engineering workshop and analysis with the Town, York Region, Central York Fire Services, and our ownership, development and engineering partners identified $2.01 million in savings (25.3% cost reduction) while preserving full program density. Critical to the outcome: municipalities validated the redesigned site plan as the strongest option reviewed, demonstrating how VM methodology creates alignment rather than friction. Attendees will learn how structured value engineering serves as a communication framework that converts regulatory constraints into design opportunities, and how transparent stakeholder engagement at the right moments unlocks value that isolated optimization cannot achieve.
Presenter:
Amin Sarang & Saman Davari
Dr. Amin Sarang, PhD, P.Eng.,PMP, MBA, is a civil engineer, real estate development professional, and business leader with over two decades of experience across Canada and internationally. His work has focused on the planning, development, and delivery of residential, commercial, and mixed-use projects, ranging from small-scale infill developments to large, multi-phase urban projects. He holds a PhD in Civil Engineering from Sharif University of Technology and is completed his Executive MBA at the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto.
His academic background is complemented by professional designations in project management and engineering, reflecting a strong foundation in both technical and financial aspects of development. Throughout his career, Dr. Sarang has been directly involved in the full lifecycle of real estate development. His responsibilities have included site identification, feasibility analysis, due diligence, zoning and approvals, financial planning, and construction oversight. He has led and coordinated multidisciplinary teams, working closely with municipalities, consultants, lenders, and contractors to move projects from early concept through to completion.
In Canada, his recent work includes managing and advising on a range of residential developments across the Greater Toronto Area, including multiplex housing, stacked townhouses, rental buildings, and land severance projects. These projects collectively represent hundreds of residential units and demonstrate consistent involvement in both development management and project execution.
Prior to his work in Canada, Dr. Sarang held senior project management and executive roles on large-scale developments in the Middle East, including major infrastructure and mixed-use projects with values reaching into the billions of dollars. His experience includes leading complex developments such as large office complexes, commercial centers, and integrated urban projects, where he was responsible for cost optimization, scheduling, and overall project performance. In addition to his professional practice, he's a dedicated member of Value Analysis Canada (VAC) and a Board Member since 2018, recognized for his contributions. Holding MOD I & II and prestigious VMA certificates from SAVE-International, he's actively pursuing CVS (Certified Value Specialist) certification.
Saman Davari is an accomplished project manager with extensive experience in property development, building engineering, and BIM management across North America, the Middle East, and Europe. He has successfully led land acquisition, planning, and entitlement for residential, recreational, and commercial projects, while also driving BIM execution and the adoption of digital design and construction methods on both small- and large-scale developments.
With a strong blend of technical and managerial expertise, Saman specializes in optimizing the flow and transformation of information across the full lifecycle of built assets—ensuring data-driven decision-making from early planning through to operations.
In Canada, he has contributed to high-impact initiatives with leading organizations including the Société québécoise des infrastructures (SQI), National Research Council Canada (NRC), Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), Centre for Intersectoral Studies and Research on the Circular Economy (CERIEC), buildingSMART Canada (bSC), and AECO Innovation Lab.
His academic background is complemented by professional designations in project management and engineering, reflecting a strong foundation in both technical and financial aspects of development. Throughout his career, Dr. Sarang has been directly involved in the full lifecycle of real estate development. His responsibilities have included site identification, feasibility analysis, due diligence, zoning and approvals, financial planning, and construction oversight. He has led and coordinated multidisciplinary teams, working closely with municipalities, consultants, lenders, and contractors to move projects from early concept through to completion.
In Canada, his recent work includes managing and advising on a range of residential developments across the Greater Toronto Area, including multiplex housing, stacked townhouses, rental buildings, and land severance projects. These projects collectively represent hundreds of residential units and demonstrate consistent involvement in both development management and project execution.
Prior to his work in Canada, Dr. Sarang held senior project management and executive roles on large-scale developments in the Middle East, including major infrastructure and mixed-use projects with values reaching into the billions of dollars. His experience includes leading complex developments such as large office complexes, commercial centers, and integrated urban projects, where he was responsible for cost optimization, scheduling, and overall project performance. In addition to his professional practice, he's a dedicated member of Value Analysis Canada (VAC) and a Board Member since 2018, recognized for his contributions. Holding MOD I & II and prestigious VMA certificates from SAVE-International, he's actively pursuing CVS (Certified Value Specialist) certification.
Saman Davari is an accomplished project manager with extensive experience in property development, building engineering, and BIM management across North America, the Middle East, and Europe. He has successfully led land acquisition, planning, and entitlement for residential, recreational, and commercial projects, while also driving BIM execution and the adoption of digital design and construction methods on both small- and large-scale developments.
With a strong blend of technical and managerial expertise, Saman specializes in optimizing the flow and transformation of information across the full lifecycle of built assets—ensuring data-driven decision-making from early planning through to operations.
In Canada, he has contributed to high-impact initiatives with leading organizations including the Société québécoise des infrastructures (SQI), National Research Council Canada (NRC), Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), Centre for Intersectoral Studies and Research on the Circular Economy (CERIEC), buildingSMART Canada (bSC), and AECO Innovation Lab.