Toronto Dominion Centre

“Only new buildings can be truly high performing!” 

David Hoffman, General Manager of TD Centre, takes exception to comments like this. His belief is that the most sustainable buildings are the ones that already exist. “The commercial real-estate market has a perception that newer buildings are greener and more sustainable.” However, from David’s perspective, investing strategically in our existing infrastructure is much more efficient than constructing new buildings. What most people don’t consider is the resource intensity of tearing down an existing building and building a new one. David recognizes the potential role that existing buildings play in sustainability. And it is hard to argue with the success that David and his team have created at Toronto’s 50 year-old TD Centre.

Toronto Dominion Centre has set the mark as one of Canada’s commercial real estate leaders in sustainability. Owned and managed by Cadillac Fairview, TD Centre achieves excellence in sustainability through taking advantage of programs such as BOMA BEST. This distinction is earned not only through retrofitting initiatives but also through tenant engagement and ongoing sustainable management practices. These comprehensive initiatives were rewarded with a BOMA BEST Platinum certification, and TD Centre’s victory in the 1M+ above square foot category at the BOMA International TOBY Awards. They also drove other tangible results like $500,000 in reduced their energy costs. Similarly, TD Centre diverted 86% of its waste, redirecting almost 600 truckloads of would-be waste from landfills. And when it comes to climate change, the complex reduced its GHG emissions by 14%, which is equivalent to taking 600 cars off the road.

How does TD Centre do it?

• In 2016, TD Centre completed Canada’s largest-ever light replacement initiative, replacing 55,000 fluorescent lights with LEDs. In doing so, they reduced the energy consumed by their lighting by 40%, and the entire retrofit will pay for itself in less than five years.
• TD Centre continues to increase its waste diversion rate by conducting ongoing waste audits and reports and then involving broad swaths of staff in developing further waste diversion initiatives.
• TD Centre believes that building performance and sustainability starts with tenants. Therefore, TD Centre has an ongoing tenant engagement program which drives green consciousness, education, awareness and outreach. The complex releases educational campaigns regularly, and these yield meaningful, significant behavioural changes resulting in happier, healthier and more environmentally conscious tenants.
• Cadillac Fairview also implements a Green at Work program, which sets building-specific goals and targets in Energy, Waste, Water, Environmental Protection and more.

“BOMA BEST allowed us to focus on tenant engagement programs recognizing that tenant comfort and behaviour is key to creating long-term sustainable changes.” Said David Hoffman. “We are in this for the long term and partnerships with programs like BOMA BEST allows us to stay at the forefront of sustainability.”