Minto's 180 Kent Street Awarded Highest BOMA Environmental Rating

Ottawa, ON (January 26, 2012) - On Tuesday, January 16th, The Minto Group’s 180 Kent Street office tower became the first and only building in Ottawa to receive the Building Owners and Managers Association of Canada (BOMA) Building Environmental Standards (BESt) Level 4 certification – BOMA’s highest level of recognition for excellence in environmental best practices within the commercial building industry. 

The BOMA BESt certification program was launched in 2005 to assess commercial building operations in the areas of air quality, water conservation, heat recovery, energy reduction, preventative maintenance, tenant relations, waste recovery and environmental plans.  Buildings are scored on the effectiveness and implementation of strategies in these areas and more; obtaining a prestigious Level 4 rating indicates a building has achieved a score of 90 per cent or higher in all categories.

“To obtain this rating you must not only build a state of the art building, but it must be operated and maintained to the highest standards to ensure it reduces its environmental impact as designed,” says Oryst Deneka, Director of Property Operations for 180 Kent Street.

Striving for LEED® Platinum, 180 Kent Street was built in 2009 to be a green office tower, featuring a number of innovations including a rainwater harvesting system, green roof and heat recovery units.  Now fully leased, 180 Kent is home to a wide range of commercial tenants including government, retail, restaurant and financial services.  In 2010, the office tower boasted 55 per cent water savings and 52 per cent energy savings compared to a commercial tower built to model national energy code for buildings (MNECB).  And in 2011, 180 Kent Street fulfilled its commitment to eliminating approximately 825 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG’s).

“It’s important to recognize the partnership that has been built between Minto tenants and its employees through a collaborative green council, and how vital the cooperation between managers and tenants is to ensure the facility is operating at maximum efficiency,” says Angie McMurray of McMurray Environmental Solutions, who provides consulting services for 180 Kent Street’s waste management strategy.

The Minto Group has been recognized as one of Canada’s most established green home builders and received a number of accolades for environmental achievements throughout 2011.
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Background - A Year of Green Tributes

In April 2011, Minto ranked as one of Aon Hewitt’s Top 30 green employers in Canada – a title decided by employees scoring their organization’s environmental stewardship.  The “Green 30” acknowledges companies whose integration of environmental strategy, footprint reduction and internal green culture into the work environment and business plan is recognized and appreciated by employees.
Last May, Minto was praised by the Canadian Secretariat for the Asia Pacific Partnership (APP) on Clean Development and Climate for its important role in the Canada-led Zero Energy Housing (ZEH) project.  Minto’s vast body of work investigating the feasibility of building zero energy homes on a community scale was applauded by Environment Canada representatives who recognized the company for its above-and-beyond contribution including: helping define the ZEH project and providing tools and expertise to international builders during events in Mexico, China, US and Australia.

In the fall of 2011, Minto was recognized for the second year in a row and third time in four years as the Ontario Home Builders’ Association (OHBA) GREEN Builder of the Year.  This celebrated award is given to a home builder that demonstrates environmental excellence and leadership in sustainability through environmentally-friendly building designs and techniques, leading-edge waste management strategies, a model internal green culture and support of the green building industry. 

Shortly thereafter, Minto was recognized for its community of Stonefield Flats in Barrhaven – the largest LEED for Homes multi-family community in Canada – which won Green Development of the Year at the Greater Ottawa Home Builders’ Association (GOHBA) Housing Design Awards.  Later in 2011, Minto Properties was also recognized at the Federation of Rental Housing Providers (FRPO) MAC (Marketing, Achievement and Construction) Awards with the Environmental Award of Excellence for Toronto’s Richgrove Village – a building FRPO commended for its sustainability principles and consequently reduced environmental footprint during the planning, design and building phases of the property.

About Minto
Established in 1955, Minto is an Ottawa-based real estate, development, construction and property management company with operations also in Toronto, London and Florida.

Contact
Gwen Cox, Director of Communications
The Minto Group, Inc.

Tel: 613-782-3128

E-mail: [email protected]