Energy Efficiency Improvements Exceed Client Targets and Help to Earn LEED Certification

Located in the Ottawa-West neighbourhood of Hintonburg, Holland Cross is a 276,861 square-foot multi-use property owned by LaSalle Investment Management. Managing the property since 2008, Colonnade BridgePort has helped LaSalle exceed its aggressive environmental targets and achieve LEED® Gold Certification.

LaSalle’s goal to achieve LEED certification was a major challenge as Holland Cross’ two office towers, annex and retail space were far from meeting LEED energy performance criteria. The property’s ENERGY STAR®* score of 57 (although above the Canadian average of 50) was well below the LEED minimum requirement at the time of 69. To add to the challenge, LaSalle soon set additional, more ambitious targets for its global real estate portfolio: by 2020/21 energy intensity associated with greenhouse gas emissions for all landlord procured energy was to be cut by 20 per cent from 2012/13 levels and landlord managed water use by 10 per cent.

Just seven years later in 2015, Holland Cross was awarded LEED Gold certification and boasted an ENERGY STAR score of 97. By 2018, Colonnade BridgePort had reduced landlord procured energy use at the property by 26 per cent from its 2012/2013 levels, energy use intensity by 28 per cent and greenhouse gas emissions by 59 per cent, exceeding LaSalle’s 2020/21 target two years early. It also cut landlord managed water use at Holland Cross by 22 per cent, beating the LEED water use baseline by 30 per cent and, again, exceeding LaSalle’s target (see Water use case study).