Menkes Announces Office Portfolio is now 100 Percent LEED certified

TORONTO, ON (March 28, 2019) - Menkes Developments Ltd. (Menkes) announced today that five buildings at the premier AeroCentre complex have achieved Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification from the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC).

With this sustainability achievement, the Company’s entire office portfolio has achieved LEED at either the Gold or Platinum certification level. LEED is a rating system that is recognized as the international mark of excellence for green building in over 160 countries.  

 “Sustainability has been fundamental to our strategy,” said Cindy Woyslaw, General Manager, AeroCentre. “We have implemented a number of initiatives to promote sustainable best practices in every facet of our operations, some of which include: a private shuttle to public transit hubs, energy audits every three years to identify new reduction opportunities and a comprehensive recycling program, to name a few.” We are also really fortunate to have the support of our management team and tenants.”

Completed in 2010, the 623,250-square foot suburban office campus, comprised of six buildings, is owned by the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP) and managed by Menkes. The 17-acre property is centrally situated in Mississauga’s globally competitive Airport Corporate Centre. In addition to the shuttle, the property promotes alternative transportation with 10 electric charging stations and preferred carpooling spots. Occupants have access to an onsite fitness facility and wellbeing programs through Menkes’ Healthy Spaces program. AeroCentre V was previously LEED certified in 2015, building on its core & shell certification in 2011.

“Menkes has and continues to take a leadership role in its commitment to sustainability, said Jon Douglas, Director of Sustainability. “As leaders, we need to start thinking about how we will facilitate and support the necessary cultural change to meet the needs of the climate change effort.”

Menkes continues to deliver on its long-standing commitment to building innovative, high quality, buildings and communities. The office portfolio is also 100 percent certified under BOMA Best, 85 percent  Fitwell certified for wellbeing and has achieved a five star rating from GRESB, a global standard for benchmarking sustainability performance of companies. Over the past decade, Menkes has been a leader in sustainable real estate by reducing the environmental impact of its buildings, while protecting natural resources and preserving the health of the planet.

Since 2004, the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) has certified over 2,800 buildings in Canada and registered over 5,000.  In 2017, Menkes’ One York office tower in Toronto’s South Core earned the organization’s highest certification score ever awarded to a Toronto building (at the time), with a score of 89 points.