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Just in time for Earth Week, General Manager David Hoffman of the Toronto-Dominion Centre is proud to announce that for the first time ever since the TD Centre began its annual Sustainability Reports four years ago, that all six towers belonging to the Cadillac Fairview owned complex have been awarded LEED Platinum Certification. Having successfully applied an impressive array of energy and cost saving measures, a task shared evenly between the landlord, tenants, and individual employees, the TD Centre now ranks among the greenest office complexes in the world.
Located at the heart of Toronto's Financial District, the iconic TD Centre has loomed large over the city since the creation of the original, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe-designed towers were constructed beginning in 1967. Obsidian black, the imposing towers represent Toronto's first major foray into modernism on such a grand scale, archival images of the Toronto skyline from the time of construction highlighting the stark contrast from traditional stone to modern steel and glass.
Fast-forwarding to today, the TD Centre has joined an elite rank of green, energy-efficient office complexes, having attained the highest LEED certification possible, scoring an impressive 82/110. Through a combination of small-and-large scale green initiatives, from turning off lights to switching to a deep lake cooling system, the TD Centre has been able to steadily reduce its carbon footprint, having reduced its energy use by 3.8% from 2014-15, a savings equivalent to the power needed to power 800 households for a year, which translates to a real cost savings $800,000/year.
Recycling efforts, which include the TD Centre's 81% waste reduction rate, which annually saves 5000 tonnes, or 400 truckloads of waste from heading to landfills has also been a direct benefit of a $200 million revitalization investment earmarked for green initiatives and savings, which among other things has also seen a 3.9% reduction in water usage since 2014, the equivalent of 6 Olympic-sized swimming pools. Greenhouse gas emissions have also decreased by 6% since 2014, the equivalent of taking 379 cars off the road for a year.
With 21,000 employees spread over six towers, dozens of diverse tenants, and 4.5 million square feet, the challenge of reining in energy usage involved an impressive, orchestrated effort, one which relied upon the compliance and willful participation of all parties, including the landlord, tenants, and individual employees.
At the landlord level, the TD Centre was able to commit to a range of initiatives, including stairwell lighting upgrades, de-lamping over-lit areas, and a series of "Midnight Energy Audits," which examined off-peak energy usage. As for the tenants, which together comprise the TD Centre's Green Council, occupancy sensors were installed to control lights, a reduction in plug loads was carried out, along with internal "Mystery Audits," performed at random to locate areas for improvement. At the individual occupant level, employees were encouraged to turn off monitors and desk lamps after hours, and to unplug extraneous devices such as cell phone chargers after work.
Seen above, employees were encouraged to do their part in the battle against energy waste, thanks in part to a colourful energy reduction campaign, which included tips and reminders directed at ways to save energy. As an added bonus, employees were given energy reduction ballots, awarded during audits for good habits related to saving electricity, which were then submitted for a chance to win a personal smart thermostat for their home. In addition to this, a series of seminars and round tables were held with the aim of further changing both individual and collective approaches to reducing waste, saving energy, and in the process, creating a healthier, greener, more mindful work environment. Simple changes of daily routine, such as dressing for the weather, packing a lunch, eating healthy, and getting enough exercise, were combined with real-world changes to office culture, including the availability of healthy food, bike repair stations, and office fitness classes.
Despite all their success, the work of saving the planet one office tower at a time is never done. Hence, General Manager David Hoffman is adamant that the TD Centre will, continue to look ahead - aiming for healthier and greener buildings for our tenants' organizations, their employees, and ours... [and to promote] amenities and services for productive and healthy lifestyles."
