BDC Markham Business Centre Receives LEED Gold Certification for Commercial Interiors

The Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) is pleased to announce it has received LEED Gold certification for Commercial Interiors (CI) for its Markham business centre. All current BDC real estate projects across Canada are carried out applying LEED principles.

This is one of BDC's two LEED certifications. The Sherbrooke, Quebec, business centre received LEED Silver CI certification as well.

BDC's business centres are designed with the environment and employees' well-being in mind. Practices range from placing employee work stations around natural light sources to using the simple "reduce, reuse, recycle" rule for building decisions throughout its offices.

"Part of BDC's overall Corporate Social Responsibility Strategy is to obtain LEED certification for our real estate projects," said Martin Dorais, Director, Real Estate and Facilities Management, BDC. "We support entrepreneurs and do it in ways that are environmentally sustainable."

Project highlights include:

• Over 75% of construction waste was diverted from landfills and recycled.
• 30% of office furniture and furnishings were reused items.
• 20% of building materials and products were sourced from within an 800 kilometer radius.
• 30% reduction in water usage achieved by updating water valves and fixtures. BDC Markham's reduction of water usage received points for "Exemplary Performance".
• Over 90% of eligible equipment and appliances are Energy Star rated, reducing energy consumption.
• All paints, sealants, and other materials of this kind were selected to have low volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

"I would like to congratulate the Business Development Bank of Canada on their recent LEED for Commercial Interiors Gold certification in Markham," says Thomas Mueller, President and CEO of the Canada Green Building Council. "It is encouraging to see well known institutions like BDC embracing LEED – and recognizing that improving the indoor office environment makes sense for energy and water savings, as well as tenant satisfaction."

LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a system that rates buildings and interiors for sustainability, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, and innovation and design. Certification is granted by the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC).

"Greener means better, in more ways than one," said Craig Ryan, BDC's Director of CSR. "LEED also helps us attract and keep the employees we need to fulfil our core CSR responsibility of support for entrepreneurs."

Source: http://www.bdc.ca/