Toronto Dominion Centre, Cadillac Fairview
The Challenge
In 1999, the Toronto Dominion Centre, a historic building designed by Mies van der Rohe in the 1960s and one of the most recognizable landmarks in Toronto’s downtown financial district, was facing competition from newer structures with improved lighting, electrical, and mechanical systems and better indoor air quality. A massive renovation program was needed, but one that could be completed without disruption to its 20,000 current tenants.
Our Solution
To renew aging building systems, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and improve energy efficiency, Ameresco worked with Cadillac Fairview, the building’s owners, and Toronto’s Better Building Partnership, an innovative public-private collaboration. And we did it while the 56-story, 4.5 million-square-foot building was fully occupied, without disrupting tenant comfort or productivity. Overnight, each floor was retrofitted and the tenant space made fully operational for the next morning.
The total investment of $30 million funded a simultaneous retrofit of all the existing flush-mounted lighting fixtures and the HVAC control system. Small diffuser slots hidden within the lighting fixtures distribute air into the office space. We understood the owner’s priority – that energy savings, while important, were second to creating a comfortable, healthy, and productive office environment. To the tenants, even a small improvement in productivity has by far the greatest financial benefit.
Impact
Thanks to the renovation, the building functionality at TD Centre now matches its timeless aesthetic appeal. Indoor air quality is significantly improved, which increased tenant productivity. Annual energy costs have gone down as well. A significant reduction in cost per square foot will make the building more attractive in a very competitive real estate market. Cadillac Fairview is also in a position to take advantage of an emerging trading market for CO2 offsets, as the renovation program has led to a reduction of 35,000 tons of CO2 annually.
Testimonial
“We feel that Ameresco has taken care of our interests and those of our tenants by going above and beyond traditional engineering practices to ensure customer satisfaction at every level of this highly complex project. ” Michael Miceli, Vice President and General Manager
