September 27, 2012

Menkes Union Tower hits triple LEED certification

TORONTO

The Menkes Union Tower Inc. at 25 York Street has become Toronto’s first LEED EB:O&M Platinum building, and, with LEED CS and CI Gold certifications, one of the few buildings in Canada to achieve triple LEED certification.

Jolene McLaughlin, a green buildings project coordinator with Enermodal Engineering, the LEED consultant for the project, said the Menkes Property Management Ltd. team has set “an excellent example” of providing a comfortable working environment for tenants while using sustainable initiatives to improve daily operations in the building.

25 York Street is the third of only four buildings to achieve Platinum in the EB:O&M (Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance) category in Canada, the first being Enermodal Engineering’s headquarters, A Grander View.

Enermodal said policies and features that Menkes instituted that resulted in the EB:O&M Platinum certification for 25 York Street include policies in housekeeping, site management, and pest management to provide services that don’t degrade the local environment or occupant health.

In addition, Menkes solicited occupant feedback to determine possible improvements to building operation that would help the environment and make occupants happier with the building. It also invested in extended energy monitoring and tracking features to review energy use in order to minimize energy consumption.

As well, Menkes instituted an extensive waste management program within the building with the ultimate goal of eliminating waste sent to the landfill. It also established multiple programs in the building to engage occupants and improve awareness of sustainability issues, such as energy use, waste diversion, and water consumption.

The $250 million 25 York Street office tower, designed by Adamson & Associates, has  TELUS as its anchor tenant, and is operated by Menkes Property Management Services Ltd. Enermodal Engineering oversaw the post-construction services of commissioning and building performance monitoring to ensure the building performed to LEED energy predictions.

DCN NEWS SERVICES

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