TORONTO, Nov. 6, 2015 /CNW/ – Last night, participants in CivicAction's smart energy office challenge took sustainability to new heights, celebrating a drop of close to 193 million ekWh or 12.1 per cent in collective energy use over four years, charging past the program's four-year target of 10 per cent. That's equivalent to taking more than 4,200 cars off the road and putting $13.7 million back into office landlords' and tenants' pockets.
“We set an ambitious target four years ago and last night, we exceeded it,” said Sevaun Palvetzian, CEO, CivicAction. “The Race to Reduce is a great example of what's possible when people from opposite sides of the table come together and work towards a shared goal.”
With winning buildings located in Burlington, Oakville, Mississauga, Vaughan, Markham and Toronto, the final Race to Reduce awards ceremony saw representation from leading office building owners, tenants, and workers from across the region and showed how little energy is needed to run a building while meeting tenants' and their employees' needs. CivicAction's Race to Reduce is one of the largest regional energy challenges in the world, with 196 buildings participating representing more than 69 million square feet or 42 per cent of the commercial office space in the region.
Sixty-four buildings of various sizes and ages earned a Greatest Energy Reduction Award by achieving a 10 per cent or greater reduction across the four years of the Race (2011-2014). Twenty-one of these buildings reduced their energy use by more than 20 per cent, with Oxford Properties Group's Richmond Adelaide Centre, HOOPP Realty's AeroCentre 1 – 5600 Explorer Drive, and the City of Toronto's Toronto Archive Centre cutting energy use by a whopping 35, 39, and 59 per cent respectively, over the span of the Race.
RBC swept the Team Excellence awards that celebrate active and sustained landlord-tenant collaboration. They took home awards in each of three categories, with landlords Bentall Kennedy (Canada) LP, Cadillac Fairview Corporation Limited, and Oxford Properties.
“The final results show what is possible and underscore the significant impact the commercial real estate sector can have on reducing the region's carbon emissions and cleaning the air we all breathe,” said Roger Johnson, Senior Vice President, TD Bank Group and Co-Chair of CivicAction's Commercial Building Energy Leadership Council, which created the Race.
The average Portfolio Manager EnergyStar score across the 17 Lowest Energy Use (2014) award winners was 95.5 (out of 100), an impressive 37 points above the Canadian national average for commercial office buildings. (See below for full list of award winners.)
The Honourable Glen Murray, Ontario Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, was on hand to praise the innovation and collaboration showcased by the sector and to reinforce the need to continue the momentum.
“Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from buildings is key to the fight against climate change,” said Minister Murray. “CivicAction's Race to Reduce challenges landlords and tenants to reduce their carbon footprints and recognizes great examples of private sector leadership, collaboration and innovation.”
The impact and scalability of CivicAction's Race to Reduce program has captured national and international attention and awards, entrenching industry collaboration as the new normal. Among the multiple awards earned to date are the National Energy Globe Award Canada 2015, nominee for the Energy Globe World Award 2015, the Clean50 Top 15 Projects Award and a NAIOP Greater Toronto Chapter Green Award of the Year 2014.
The momentum from the Race will continue on a local and pan-Canadian scale, with BOMA Toronto committed to building on the momentum of the program and developing the next iteration of the Race to Reduce, and Manitoba Hydro announcing its support of a Race to Reduce in Winnipeg.
“The Race to Reduce demonstrated what we can achieve when landlords, tenants, service providers, and energy providers see the market benefits of smart energy use, and take an all-hands-on-deck approach to making it happen,” said Brad Henderson, former Senior Managing Regional Director at CBRE Limited and Co-Chair of CivicAction's Commercial Building Energy Leadership Council. “The successes we've seen will have a ripple effect in the industry.”
2015 Race to Reduce Awards:
Earning the Team Excellence Awards for excellence in energy reduction efforts that come with active and sustained landlord-tenant collaboration across the four years of the Race (2011-2014):
|
Team Excellence Category |
Winner |
|
Capital Project |
Bentall Kennedy (Canada) LP & RBC |
|
Operational Project |
Cadillac Fairview Corporation Limited & RBC |
|
Cultural/Behavioural Change Project |
Oxford Properties Group & RBC |
(Click here for descriptions of the work that earned recipients the awards.)
Earning a Building Performance Award for Lowest Energy Use in 2014:
|
Building Size Category |
Winners |
Building Owner/ Property Management Company |
ENERGY STAR Score (1 – 100) |
|
Under 250,000 sq. ft. |
Restoration Services Centre (Vaughan) |
Toronto and Region Conservation Authority |
100 |
|
Ennisclare Corporate Centre 1075 North Service Road W. (Oakville) |
2748355 Canada Inc. / Bentall Kennedy (Canada) LP |
100 |
|
|
Ennisclare Corporate Centre 1235 North Service Road W. (Oakville) |
2748355 Canada Inc. / Bentall Kennedy (Canada) LP |
99 |
|
|
AeroCentre 1 5600 Explorer Drive (Mississauga) |
HOOPP Realty Inc. / Menkes Property Management Services Ltd. |
97 |
|
|
Barrymore Building |
First Capital Realty Inc. / First Capital Realty Inc.
|
97 |
|
|
3115 Harvester Road (Burlington) |
8750840 Canada Inc. / Bentall Kennedy (Canada) LP |
97 |
|
|
250,000 to 500,000 sq. ft. |
Yonge Corporate Centre – 4110 Yonge Street |
Cadillac Fairview Corporation Limited |
95 |
|
Northbridge Place
|
Brookfield Office Properties |
94 |
|
|
Mississauga Executive Centre 4 |
Desjardins Financial Security Life Assurance Company and AIMCo Realty Investors LP / ONTARI Holdings Ltd. / Colliers International |
93 |
|
|
77 Bloor Street W. |
Bay Bloor Equities Inc. & Morguard Realty Holdings Inc. / Morguard Investments |
93 |
|
|
500,000 to 1,000,000 sq. ft. |
25 York Street |
Menkes Union Tower Inc. / Menkes Property Management Services Ltd. |
98 |
|
One Mount Pleasant
|
Rogers Communications Inc. |
97 |
|
|
PwC Tower at /SFC
|
bcIMC Realty Corporation / GWL Realty Advisors |
96 |
|
|
Over 1,000,000 sq. ft. |
Simcoe Place |
Simcoe Place Leaseholds Ltd., 799549 Ontario Inc. / Cadillac Fairview Corporation Limited |
97 |
|
Bell Trinity Square
|
Northam Realty Advisors Limited |
93 |
|
|
TD North Tower – 77 King W. |
Cadillac Fairview Corporation Limited |
89 |
|
|
Richmond Adelaide Centre
|
Oxford Properties Group |
89 |
Earning a Building Performance Award for Greatest Energy Reduction (2011-2014):
|
Reduction Category |
Winners |
Building Owner/ Property Management Company |
Percentage Reduction |
|
20% and greater |
Toronto Archives Centre |
City of Toronto
|
59.91 |
|
AeroCentre 1 – 5600 Explorer Drive (Mississauga) |
HOOPP Realty Inc. / Menkes Property Management Services Ltd. |
38.78
|
|
|
Richmond Adelaide Centre |
Oxford Properties Group
|
35.29 |
|
|
Caledon Town Hall |
Town of Caledon
|
34.56 |
|
|
77 Bloor Street W. |
Bay Bloor Equities Inc & Morguard REIT / Morguard Investments Limited |
34.24 |
|
|
161 Eglinton Avenue E. |
Eglinton Redpath Holdings Inc. / Crown Property Management Inc.
|
32.06 |
|
|
155 University Avenue |
Great West Life Assurance Company and London Life Insurance Company / GWL Realty Advisors Inc. |
30.94 |
|
|
Mississauga Executive Centre 2 |
Desjardins Financial Security Life Assurance Company and AIMCo Realty Investors LP / ONTARI Holdings Ltd. / Colliers International |
29.78 |
|
|
AeroCentre 2 – 5580 Explorer Drive (Mississauga) |
HOOPP Realty Inc. / Menkes Property Management Services Ltd. |
29.7 |
|
|
2920 Matheson Blvd. E. (Mississauga) |
Revenue Properties Company Limited & 2920 Matheson Boulevard Holdings Ltd. / Morguard Investments |
29.22 |
|
|
145 King Street W. |
2748355 Canada Inc. / Bentall Kennedy (Canada) LP |
28.97 |
|
|
180 Wellington Street W. |
Manulife Canadian Property Portfolio / Manulife Real Estate |
27.39 |
|
|
600 Cochrane Drive (Markham) |
Canadian Urban Limited |
27.06 |
|
|
Oakville Corporate Centre III |
Penlea Investments Ltd. / Morguard Investments |
26.67 |
|
|
First Canadian Place |
Brookfield Office Properties
|
25.31 |
|
|
TD Bank Tower – 66 Wellington W. |
Cadillac Fairview Corporation Ltd. |
24.75 |
|
|
19 Allstate Parkway (Markham) |
bcIMC Realty Corporation / GWL Realty Advisors Inc. |
22.93 |
|
|
AeroCentre 6 – 5500 Explorer Drive (Mississauga) |
HOOPP Realty Inc. / Menkes Property Management Services Ltd. |
22.01 |
|
|
Toronto City Hall |
City of Toronto
|
21.18 |
|
|
Barrymore Building |
First Capital Realty Inc.
|
20.4 |
|
|
Yonge Corporate Centre – 4100 Yonge Street |
Cadillac Fairview Corporation Ltd. |
20.3 |
|
|
15 to 19.9% |
Sun Life Financial Tower |
Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada / Bentall Kennedy (Canada) LP |
18.97 |
|
Toronto Public Health – 277 Victoria Street |
City of Toronto
|
18.8 |
|
|
4 King Street West |
Great West Life Assurance Company and London Life Insurance Company / GWL Realty Advisors Inc. |
18.46 |
|
|
TD North Tower – 77 King West |
Cadillac Fairview Corporation Ltd. |
18.36 |
|
|
4880 Tahoe Boulevard (Mississauga) |
Morguard Investments Limited
|
18.25 |
|
|
Yonge Corporate Centre – 4110 Yonge Street |
Cadillac Fairview Corporation Ltd. |
18.02 |
|
|
1127 Leslie Street |
Rosseau Realty
|
17.78 |
|
|
Simcoe Place |
Simcoe Place Leaseholds Ltd., 799549 Ontario Inc. / Cadillac Fairview Corporation Ltd. |
17.32 |
|
|
1875 Buckhorn Gate (Mississauga) |
Bentall Kennedy (Canada) LP
|
16.53 |
|
|
Mississauga Executive Centre 4 |
Desjardins Financial Security Life Assurance Company and AIMCo Realty Investors LP / ONTARI Holdings Ltd. / Colliers International |
16.44 |
|
|
200 King Street W. |
BcIMC Realty Corporation / Bentall Kennedy (Canada) LP |
16.35 |
|
|
Yonge Corporate Centre – 4120 Yonge Street |
Cadillac Fairview Corporation Ltd. |
16.27 |
|
|
Ennisclare Corporate Centre – 1275 North Service Road W. (Oakville) |
2748355 Canada Inc. / Bentall Kennedy (Canada) LP |
16.13 |
|
|
415 Yonge Street |
Artis Reit / Crown Property Management Inc. |
15.94 |
|
|
AeroCentre 3 – 5560 Explorer (Mississauga) |
HOOPP Realty Inc. / Menkes Property Management Services Ltd. |
15.92 |
|
|
110 Yonge Street |
CREIT Management L.P.
|
15.53 |
|
|
10 to 14.9% |
Trillium Executive Centre (Markham) |
CR3 675 Cochrane Inc. / Crown Property Management Inc. |
14.96 |
|
Canada Life Building |
Canada Life Assurance Company / GWL Realty Advisors Inc. |
14.6 |
|
|
Metro Hall |
City of Toronto
|
14.56 |
|
|
WaterPark Place |
OMERS Realty Corporation and CPP Investment Board Real Estate Holdings Inc. / Oxford Properties Group |
14.39 |
|
|
MetroCentre |
Oxford Properties Group
|
14.21 |
|
|
2 Bloor Street W. |
Oxford Properties Group
|
14.16 |
|
|
60 Bloor Street W. |
60 Bloor Equities Inc. / Morguard Investments |
13.76 |
|
|
Brookfield Place |
Oxford Properties Group (161 Bay) Brookfield Office Properties (181 Bay) |
13.69 |
|
|
Dynamic Funds Tower |
Oxford Properties Group
|
13.58 |
|
|
2425 Matheson Blvd E. (Mississauga) |
Canada Post and OP Trust / Triovest Realty Advisors Inc.
|
13.33 |
|
|
1855 Buckhorn Gate (Mississauga) |
Bentall Kennedy (Canada) LP |
13.17 |
|
|
2233 Argentia Nominee Inc. (Mississauga) |
LaSalle Investment Management / Crown Property Management Inc. |
12.85 |
|
|
Brampton Park |
Rogers Communications
|
12.83 |
|
|
Mississauga Executive Centre 1 |
Desjardins Financial Security Life Assurance Company and AIMCo Realty Investors LP / ONTARI Holdings Ltd. / Colliers International |
12.82 |
|
|
25 York Street |
Menkes Union Towner Inc. / Menkes Property Management Services Ltd. |
12.69 |
|
|
AeroCentre 4 – 5520 Explorer Drive (Mississauga) |
HOOPP Realty Inc. / Menkes Property Management Services Ltd.
|
12.64
|
|
|
4720 Tahoe Blvd. (Mississauga) |
Morguard Investments Limited
|
12.6 |
|
|
95 Wellington Tower |
Cadillac Fairview Corporation Ltd.
|
12.35 |
|
|
525 University Avenue |
CREIT Management L.P.
|
11.99 |
|
|
RBC Centre |
Ontrea Inc. and OPB (155 Wellington) Inc. / Cadillac Fairview Corporation Ltd. |
11.72 |
|
|
200 University Avenue |
Great West Life Assurance Company and London Life Insurance Company / GWL Realty Advisors Inc. |
11.55 |
|
|
Ennisclare Centre – 1075 North Service Road W. (Oakville) |
2748355 Canada Inc. / Bentall Kennedy (Canada) LP |
11.36 |
|
|
175 Bloor Street E. |
CREIT Management L.P.
|
11.15 |
|
|
One University Avenue |
Oxford Properties Group
|
10.98 |
|
|
40 University Avenue |
Greystone Investments / Triovest Realty Advisors Inc. |
10.67 |
|
|
North York Centre |
Great West Life Assurance Company / GWL Realty Advisors Inc. |
10.25 |
|
|
North York Square |
Crown Property Management Inc.
|
10.08 |
CivicAction would like to acknowledge our 2015 Race to Reduce Awards Presenting Sponsors CBRE Limited and Toronto Hydro, Supporting Sponsors Enbridge Gas Distribution, Union Gas and Yardi, Contributing Sponsors Armstrong Fluid Technology, BOMA Toronto, Energy Network Services and HH Angus, Major Media Partner the National Post, and Industry Media Partners Canadian Property Management and REMI Network.
CivicAction is grateful for the support provided to the Race to Reduce by 2014/2015 Program Sponsors Enbridge Gas Distribution, Union Gas, GWL Realty Advisors, Oxford Properties Group, TD Bank Group, Cadillac Fairview, MMM Group, and Stikeman Elliott LLP.
Our thanks to CNW Group for sponsoring this announcement.
About CivicAction's Race to Reduce: CivicAction's award-winning Race to Reduce is one of the largest regional energy challenges in the world. Launched in 2011, the Race to Reduce challenges Toronto region landlords and tenants in office buildings of all types, sizes and ages to work together to collectively reduce energy use in their buildings and to decrease the total energy use in participating office buildings by at least 10 per cent over four years. 196 buildings are registered in the Race to Reduce – over 69 million sq. ft. or over 42 per cent of the Toronto region's office space. To read about initiatives Race participants have undertaken, click here.
For more information, visit: www.racetoreduce.ca or follow us on Twitter @racetoreduce
About CivicAction: For over a decade, CivicAction has played the role of neutral sandbox, bringing together senior executives and rising leaders from all sectors to tackle challenges facing the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. CivicAction builds partnerships and takes action through campaigns, programs and organizations that transform our region. For more information, visit: www.civicaction.ca, or follow us on Twitter @CivicActionGTHA.
SOURCE CivicAction