We’re pleased to announce that after much hard work, 191 Laurier Avenue in Ottawa was awarded LEED®v4 Silver for existing building in June of 2019. Working with Arguson Project Inc., Green Reason served as sustainability consultants for this three-year project.
With the recent jump from LEED 2009 to LEEDv4, the main requirements in this category that became more challenging to meet include the energy benchmark, water consumption, location with respect to alternate transportation, atmosphere and innovation.
To meet some of these challenges the project:
- Upgraded some plumbing fixtures with flow-reducing aerators, as well as additional water metering.
- Upgraded light fixtures to LED for energy savings.
- Implemented a full retro-commissioning program to analyze and improve how energy is being consumed by the building.
- Upgraded planters to use low-water requiring perennials.
- Implemented a purchasing program to ensure environmentally-responsible procurement.
We reviewed building automation system (BAS) trends to determine if the building could be operating more efficiently. We looked for opportunities to improve efficiencies (i.e.: replace boilers or change scheduling), particularly around energy savings.
The building already scored well for light pollution and proximity to alternative transportation. The most points achieved with building upgrades related to water efficiencies, including low-cost upgrades to plumbing fixtures and changes to plantings to reduce irrigation water. The LED lighting retrofit was already being investigated on a portfolio level and was luckily completed in the building in time to take advantage of the improved energy performance for LEED.
Green Reason continues to work with 191 Laurier as they are now seeking BOMA certification. BOMA covers more than environmental concerns, is focussed on building operations and best practices which include:
- Energy efficiency
- Best practices like cleaning
- Tracking waste and water usage
- Tenant engagement
Read about our first LEED v4 Commercial Interiors project with PCL Construction.
If you are interested in exploring the potential of LEED v4 or other ratings for a new or existing building project or have questions about more comprehensive sustainable building, don’t hesitate to get in touch.