Nineteen industrial and commercial buildings in Québec have stood out for their energy performance, contributing to a sustainable future
Montréal, September 16, 2020 – BOMA Québec is proud to announce today the winners of Year 2 of the Building Energy Challenge that have stood out in terms of commitment and performance. This friendly, innovative competition, launched in 2018, seeks to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions at commercial, institutional and multi residential buildings in Québec through collaboration, knowledge-sharing, education and innovation. The winners were announced at a virtual recognition event led by Katerine-Lune Rollet and joined by key players in the real estate industry.
A total of 162 buildings were nominated this year, 57 of which were finalists in 15 commercial categories and four institutional categories. The winners were then determined on the basis of the reduction in their energy index between 2018 and 2019 compared with buildings of similar energy intensity in 2018 and similar size. It is worth noting that, between 2018 and 2019, greenhouse gas emissions from the 162 participants fell by 1,715 tonnes of CO2 eq. This amounts to a 3.36% reduction in one year, or 33% of the Building Energy Challenge’s goal of 10% over three years, and represents some 700 fewer cars on the road!
Here are the 15 winners for improved energy performance in the commercial sector this year:
- 59 Bégin – Desjardins
- 200 Des Commandeurs – Desjardins
- 319 Franquet – Groupe Mach
- 450 de Maisonneuve West – Desjardins
- 995 Alphonse Desjardins – Desjardins
- 1001 de Maisonneuve West – Manulife Investment Management
- 1600-1616 René-Lévesque / 980 Guy – BentallGreenOak
- 5000 Buchan – Groupe Mach
- 6075 Wilfrid Carrier – Desjardins
- Côte-Des-Neiges Intercultural Library – Ville de Montréal
- CA Jarry 1 – Hydro-Québec
- World Trade Centre Montréal – Allied Properties
- CF Promenades Saint-Bruno – Cadillac Fairview Corporation Ltd.
- Complexe Avenue Ogilvy S.E.C. – Groupe Petra
- Complexe Guy-Favreau – BGIS
The four winners in the institutional sector are:
- Northern Operations and Environment Centre – Ville de Montréal
- Côte-Sainte-Catherine Building – HEC Montréal
- Hôpital Marie-Clarac – Énergère
- SGW-B Annex – Concordia University
The Collaboration award (highlighting co-operative efforts between owners and tenants that produce mutually advantageous results) went to Ivanhoé Cambridge, while the Supplier Mobilization award (recognizing efforts to support the energy transition of commercial buildings in Québec) was won by Engie Services Inc. The Building Energy Challenge Coup de Coeur went to Desjardins, with the program director adding a special mention for effort by CAPREIT Limited Partnership and Cogir Real Estate.
Free of charge and spread over four years, this challenge is open to all commercial, institutional and multi-residential buildings in Québec, regardless of BOMA Québec membership. A major gala event will be held in 2022 to announce the overall results and the program’s impacts on the community.
Valued partners
Open to owners, commercial building managers and tenants interested in implementing responsible- management practices to enhance their energy performance sustainably, the Building Energy Challenge is an initiative of BOMA Québec and its valued partners: the Ville de Montréal and Transition énergétique Québec (founding partners), Hydro-Québec and Énergir (principal partners) and Natural Resources Canada (collaborating partner). The sponsors of the recognition event also include Bee-Clean Building Maintenance and Kevric (prestige partners) as well as Cohésio Architecture and WSP Canada Inc. (collaborating partners).
“On behalf of the entire Building Energy Challenge team, I wish to congratulate our Year 2 winners,” said Linda Carbone, Executive Director of BOMA Québec. “We are extremely proud of the enthusiasm this initiative has generated since it was launched in 2018. I am also taking this opportunity to offer warm thanks to our loyal partners who have made this project possible and who share our vision and our desire to rally the industry to reduce its environmental footprint.” She continued: “We are convinced that this competition will contribute tangibly to reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in the commercial, institutional and multi residential real estate sectors in addition to supporting fulfilment of the targets set by the governments of Québec and Canada.”
Ambitious goals
Through this program, BOMA Québec is targeting a 10% greenhouse gas reduction over four years. Inspired by successful challenges under way in other major cities, this competition takes account of the Québec context and of the specific goals set by the Québec government’s 2030 Energy Policy aimed in particular at improving energy efficiency by 5% and reducing petroleum product consumption by 40%.
“To help participants meet their goals, we are offering them a platform for exchanging best practices in energy efficiency for industrial and commercial buildings,” commented Mario Poirier, Director of the Building Energy Challenge program. “More than just a competition, this program provides a unique opportunity for collaboration between governments, municipalities, building owners and managers and their tenants and users in reducing the environmental impact of the province’s buildings.”
Added Geneviève Gauthier, who sits on the Governance Committee and chairs the Technical Committee of the Building Energy Challenge: “Every little bit counts when it comes to reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. For example, if only 15% of Québec’s commercial and institutional buildings were to lower their energy consumption by 10%, that would amount to a reduction of about 2.45 million gigajoules of energy and 60,000 tonnes of CO2 per year, or about 12,000 fewer cars on the road. We therefore salute the initiatives taken by our winners and by each of the other participants in this competition. We’re getting the sense that a true energy management culture is being established.”
Mr. Poirier concluded “What we are currently experiencing in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic reminds us that climate change is our next major priority, and the BOMA Québec Building Energy Challenge is a compelling example of the real estate industry rallying to be better prepared.”
About BOMA Québec
BOMA (Building Owners and Managers Association) Québec is the largest association of commercial property owners and managers in the province, and its members own or manage 85% of Class A office buildings in Québec. A leader in the sector since its inception in 1927, BOMA Quebec has developed a reputation for excellence in property management and for increasing the value of real estate assets. The Association encourages effective, efficient and responsible building management, notably with BOMA BEST®, its avant-garde environmental certification program now recognized throughout the industry.
Source:
BOMA Québec | boma-quebec.org
Building Energy Challenge | buildingenergychallenge.ca
Information:
Valérie Gonzalo
Media relations – BOMA Québec
514 626-6976
gonzalo@videotron.ca