2Written by Jessica FerlainoThe introduction of green building standards is a step in the right direction to promote sustainability in new building design and construction, while aligning with and meeting emissions-reduction targets. That being said, when it comes to existing buildings with legacy systems and equipment, these standards aren’t as simple to achieve, something that BentallGreenOak (BGO) knows all too well. As a future-forward provider of integrated real estate services, BGO has built its success upon the ability to establish clear operating imperatives at the asset level that support the needs of discerning tenants. This is how the company builds lasting relationships based upon trust: where corporate objectives and tenants’ needs are aligned, priori-tized, and fulfilled. The Real Estate Management team at BGO are driven to discover new and innova-tive ways to reduce costs, improve building performance and elevate the desirability of the real estate assets they manage for clients and their tenants. In today’s space markets, the sustainability of an asset is a primary consideration. “In Canada, we manage commercial real estate with a longer-term outlook,” explains Brandon Malleck, Director, Operations and Projects. “Environmental stewardship and the sustainability of our assets along with the positive relationships we foster with community stakeholders are important measures of success. It takes time and com-mitment to achieve both.” Asset management and operations strategies are integrally tied to one another on paper and in the people who work every day on the ground to deliver performance against sustainability targets that continue to challenge the status quo in the built environment. “Our Real Estate Management group is heavily engaged in how the buildings operate from a carbon perspective and of course from a financial perspec-tive,” notes Malleck.” 3Measuring carbon footprint performance BGO is shifting the conversation on energy consumption to include carbon intensity, therefore redefining the metrics used to measure performance and value. By doing so, its operations teams can better gauge the GHG impact of buildings and artic-ulate those findings. Greater effort is required to identify viable solutions that will contribute to improved overall building per-formance, both from a financial and environmental standpoint. Carbon accounting is calculated based on an annual average (total emissions annually divided by the amount of electric-ity produced). As emissions vary at different times (of the year, season, day, hour), carbon accounting in this way is an insuf-ficient measure of emissions.As Malleck notes, “If we’re looking at the average carbon emis-sions over the course of a year, we’re not going to think about things like solar panels or batteries that store electricity in gen-erators at night and use during the day because those technol-ogies are largely beneficial when they allow us to use electricity based on the times when the grid is the cleanest.” He adds, “Where data is available, we should be using real-time emissions factors for determining electricity-generated carbon emissions. These emissions vary significantly over the course of the day, in Ontario for example, where generating sources (hydro, nuclear, natural gas) can vary. It’s about measuring what matters.” To ensure that decisions are informed and data-driven, utility tracking is available to employees at each of its sites, which enables the team to access real-time performance data from which to optimize operations to ensure targets are not only measurable, but achievable. Likewise, this tracking goes a long way toward improving air quality and temperatures for tenant comfort and health.For instance, the use of advanced control systems that track carbon emissions based on occupancy and use, adjusted at fif-teen-minute intervals, enables maximum efficiency by bringing in the appropriate amount of outside air, thus reducing the need for energy to heat or cool excess amounts of air. This is a key component of BGO’s strategy to reduce energy use on site.The path to low carbon buildingsWhen it comes to meeting emissions reductions targets and commitments to accords like the Paris Agreement, the greatest environmental impact will not come from new construction, but rather the existing buildings that represent most emissions. Advanced control systems are a start but are only one aspect to the path to low carbon buildings. “From an environmental perspective, we can continue to reduce carbon intensity with conventional energy,” says Malleck. This conviction informed the approach he has taken at 100 Murray Street, a six-storey building in Ottawa’s ByWard Market. The building was purchased by client and majority owner, Sun Life, in 2011. Already top Energy Star rated at the time, BGO helped it to become the first Zero Carbon Building (ZCB) per-formance certified commercial building in Canada.The project was built upon a two-pronged strategy: an aggres-sive approach to energy reduction via building hardware and energy management operations and the ability to purchase enough renewable energy offsets to achieve ZCB certifica-tion, which were necessary without the capacity to generate energy on site. 4The building featured triple pane windows designed to allow maximum natural light and passive solar warming to occur, and additional elements were incorporated to manage energy con-sumption, water use and waste on site.When considering energy generation on site, conventional solar was not practical, as space is limited on buildings that are taller than two- to three-storeys, which is why purchasing carbon offsets was necessary. As such, BGO is working with CoGenerate, a local company that has pioneered new solar technology, an efficient solar cell with a heat sink that allows the panel to cool, transferring the heat to the building for practical use (i.e., hot water). Together, with the building’s ownership and CoGenerate, BGO is implementing a pilot project using an eight-kilowatt array to test the impact of displacing emissions other-wise produced by natural gas systems. In doing so, BGO is further demonstrating the art of what is possible. Another project that demonstrates the company’s approach to sustainability is Scotia Plaza, located at 40 King Street West in Toronto, Ontario. Designed in 1988, the Plaza comprises 68-storeys of above-grade AAA Class commercial office space and also features one level of below-grade retail and four levels of parking. Scotia Plaza was one of the first major office towers in Canada to achieve LEED Platinum certification.BGO took it a step further. In June of 2020, the commercial high-rise located in the heart of the city’s financial district became the first and the largest CaGBC Zero Carbon Building – Performance v2 certified building in Canada, a feat that was achieved using highly robust and efficient metering and energy monitor-ing systems, just as at 100 Murray. “BGO is further demonstrating the art of what is possible.”5New tools, innovative approaches, and a culture of empowermentAt BGO, a culture that encourages innovation and entrepre-neurial thinking ensures that the requisite human and capital resources are available to make good on great ideas. “We have a strong focus on tool development and programs which enable the property teams to create meaningful change,” says Malleck. These include the Innovation Lab, a funding program where employee-inspired ideas are evaluated and selected for pilot implementation. The goal is to accelerate learning and proof of concept in one property for the benefit of BGO’s broader portfolio.Malleck has enjoyed the support of the Innovation Lab for a number of projects he has devised, including the solar pilot taking place at 100 Murray, in addition to a unique pilot program aimed at reducing costs associated with the transpor-tation of compost at another property under his stewardship. 6“It’s a piece of equipment that takes our compost – we generate about 1,000 pounds every day – and converts it into a soil amendment,” Malleck explains. This can then be used by com-munity gardens, residents, local farms, or others who have a need while eliminating carbon emissions associated with compost transportation. “We are all on the same team working together toward a common goal,” says Malleck. “One of the reasons I joined the organization was BGO’s tangible commitment to the environ-ment. It’s not just a greenwashing, but a deep cultural commit-ment from the CEO to building operators,” that is taking what it means to be sustainable to new levels. “The Innovation Lab is where employee-inspired ideas are evaluated and selected for pilot implementation. The goal is to accelerate learning and proof of concept in one property for the benefit of BGO’s broader portfolio.”Content Developed by Erin Wells7CONSTRUCTION IN FOCUS As featured in July 2021Next >