Ottawa, Ontario – April 24, 2007 – Downtown Ottawa has assumed the provincial spotlight in environmental sustainability following a major announcement today by Minto Developments.  Following a tree-planting ceremony at Minto Place, work began on 180 Kent Street which is Ontario’s first commercial multi-tenant office building to apply for LEED gold certification.  Upon its completion, the 19-story, 370,000 square foot tower will be the 2nd largest LEED gold certified office building in the country.

Roger Greenberg, Minto’s CEO:   “Environmental sustainability makes good business sense.  There is no question that both Minto and the community will benefit from the publicity and visibility that comes with LEED status.  It is a win/win. The environmental benefits to the community are obvious; and we believe those benefits will play a major role in attracting tenants to this building.”
 
LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a building rating system, based on different levels of accreditation that is designed to reduce environmental impact, save energy, reduce operational costs and provide long term benefits for the community.

Greg Rogers is Minto’s Executive Vice President; “We are convinced that there is a major payoff for going green.  It comes in the form of lower utility bills, a healthier workplace for employees, reduced impact on the environment and community goodwill.  We would like to believe that this development will serve as a catalyst for other downtown development and spur on other projects of environmentally conscious buildings.”

Construction on 180 Kent will begin immediately with the first tenants scheduled to move in by the summer of 2009.  This is one of many sustainable projects that Minto has completed or has in the works.  In 2006, Radiance @ MintoGardens (Toronto) became the first multi-unit, highrise residential condominium in Canada to receive LEED certification. In South Merivale Business Park, Minto is currently building a new headquarters for JDSU to LEED standards.

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For further information or interviews, please contact:

Jeff Polowin
Hill and Knowlton Canada
613-786-9929

Visit www.180kent.com for more information