Minto's Flagship Office Tower Honoured at BOMA's 2012 National TOBY® Awards
OTTAWA, Sept. 14, 2012 /CNW/ - The Minto Group's 180 Kent Street office tower has been named Canada's Outstanding Building of the Year (TOBY®) by the Building Owners and Management Association of Canada (BOMA). This prestigious honour recognizes the utmost quality in commercial real estate buildings and rewards excellence in building management. The award also signifies Minto's invitation to participate in the BOMA International TOBY® Awards to be held in San Diego in 2013, where entrants will compete in 14 categories to win the highest honour as an international TOBY Award recipient.
During this Canada-wide competition, all facets of the building's operations were thoroughly evaluated by BOMA judges, including building management and standards, community impact, tenant relations, energy conservation, sustainable features, emergency preparedness, regulatory compliance, security standards, and the training of building personnel.
This has been a significant year for 180 Kent Street. This latest accolade follows the building's recent TOBY® Award from BOMA's Ottawa chapter. As well, last November 180 Kent Street was the first building in Ottawa to receive the BOMA BESt Level 4 rating. This high level environmental certification was determined based on a 90 percent or higher score in the categories of air quality, water conservation, heat recovery, energy reduction, preventative maintenance, tenant relations, waste recovery, and environmental plans. According to Minto Properties President Rob Pike, "all these achievements help us measure our success in achieving a strategic goal to make a difference in the products we create and the experiences we offer."
Striving for LEED® Platinum, 180 Kent Street was completed in 2009 as one of the city's greenest office towers. In addition to the building's proximity to amenities, public transportation and car-sharing, it also features 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 the national energy code for buildings (MNECB). To maintain this building performance, Minto regularly monitors building systems to reduce resource consumption and ensure optimal operating efficiency and tenant comfort. In 2011, 180 Kent Street also fulfilled its commitment to eliminating approximately 825 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions. In the three years of operation, 180 Kent Street's innovative waste management systems have already diverted over 60 per cent of waste from landfill, exceeding the municipal and provincial targets. "To further demonstrate our commitment to the community, the building is graced with two outstanding art installations by Canadian artists and it's often the site of community fundraisers to raise funds and awareness for local charities," Pike noted. "We are thrilled to be receiving this honour on a national level in recognition of all the planning, care and teamwork that goes into building and managing an office tower of this calibre."
Minto's extensive commercial portfolio stretches across Ottawa, Toronto and London, Ontario. Located in the heart of Toronto, Minto Midtown - North America's greenest condominium - offers professional office space while Minto775 King West will add approximately 300,000 square feet of innovative residential, retail and amenity space to the King West area in 2013. In 2011, Minto expanded into London with its acquisition of Cherryhill Village - a mixed-use property featuring 13 apartment buildings, the 158,000 square foot mall and nearby 31,000 square foot medical building.
About Minto: The Minto Group, established in 1955, is an Ottawa-based real estate, development, construction and property management company with operations also in Toronto, London (ON), Calgary, and South Florida.
Image with caption: "Minto's Flagship Office Tower Honoured at BOMA's 2012 National TOBY® Awards (CNW Group/The Minto Group)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120914_C6569_PHOTO_EN_17875.jpg
SOURCE: The Minto Group
Gwen Cox, Director of Communications
613-782-3128
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