Montréal’s Sun Life Building Earns LEED® Platinum Certification

The facility is the first century-old building in North America to obtain triple Platinum certification for excellence in environmental performance and digital connectivity.

The Sun Life Building in Montréal has been awarded LEED® Platinum certification (Existing Building) by the Canada Green Building Council. In receiving this distinction, it becomes the first century-old building in North America to obtain triple Platinum certification for excellence in environmental performance and digital connectivity, having already earned BOMA BEST Platinum certification from BOMA Canada and WIRED Platinum certification from WiredScore. The building is owned by Sun Life and a consortium led by Groupe Petra.

Montréal
The energy-efficient exterior lighting system of the Sun Life Building was designed to celebrate the 100th anniversary of this iconic building in Montreal. Recipient of Illumination Award of Excellence for Outdoor Lighting Design 2019 from the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America. (CNW Group/BentallGreenOak)

“We are extremely proud of this exceptional result, which can be attributed to the remarkable work done by the Property Management team at BentallGreenOak, the willingness of the tenants to adhere to our environmental programs and the commitment of all of the owners to improve environmental performance,” said Robert Dumas, President and CEO of Sun Life in Québec. “This certification is in keeping with the values adopted by Sun Life, which has prioritized sustainable development in its efforts to build healthy and sustainable communities for more than 150 years.”

“This recognition proves that heritage buildings can be green and sustainable when everyone works together,” commented Patrice Bourbonnais, President and COO of Groupe Petra. “Our partners outdid themselves and delivered outstanding environmental performance. This certification makes for a nice Platinum trio, and represents a first for a century-old building in North America.”

In attaining this objective, the Sun Life Building scored higher than the level required for Platinum certification. The LEED® system measures a building’s performance and efficiency in five sectors critical to human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.

BentallGreenOak’s tenant accountability program focuses on energy efficiency and reducing carbon emissions, waste diversion, water conservation, and maintaining a healthy working environment in the properties that it manages.

“The success of our sustainable development program at the Sun Life Building hinges upon our conviction that the management of this property is most effective when we concentrate on improving its environmental performance,” said Yves-André Godon, Managing Director for Québec at BentallGreenOak. “Our practical approach focuses on sustainability data. Our team is unflinchingly committed to improving the social and environmental impact of the buildings that are entrusted to us. When it comes to the Sun Life Building, we are very careful to preserve its built heritage, which is linked to the history of Montréal.”

Located in the heart of the business district, the Sun Life Building’s iconic shape is an integral part of the Montréal cityscape. Built in the neoclassical style between 1914 and 1933, it towers over Dorchester Square – 400 feet high with 26 floors that provide more than 1 million square feet of surface area. It has been home to leading companies that have helped sculpt the economic and financial landscape of the country for more than a century.