Gaz Métro's Head Office obtains LEED CI, Silver Certification

MONTREAL, Oct 7 /CNW Telbec/ - Gaz Métro's is proud to announce that its Head Office, at 1717 du Havre in Montréal, has received LEED CI, Silver certification (Improvement of commercial interiors) awarded by the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC). This internationally recognized certification underscores Gaz Métro's commitment to the environment and sustainable development.

"The LEED CI, Silver certificate recognizes several years of work. Our principal objective was to improve the quality of life at Head Office while reducing our carbon footprint. Now it's 'mission accomplished' and we could not be more pleased," said Serge Régnier, Vice-President, Employees and Culture Sector at Gaz Métro.

The LEED certification obtained by Gaz Métro concerns the renovation work done at its Head Office between spring 2005 and fall 2007. Gaz Métro's Head Office comprises two buildings, built in 1967 and 1984 respectively, linked by an atrium. The five floors of office space cover a total of 100,000 square feet. The renovation work had three objectives: improve the quality of the work environment, control costs, and improve the energy and environmental performance of the installations.

The improvements carried out at Gaz Métro's Head Office have resulted, among other things, in a 20% reduction in water consumption, an annual decrease of $100,000 in heating costs, and an annual reduction of 1,000 tonnes of CO₂ (equivalent to the annual emissions of almost 300 cars).

The evaluation done by the CaGBC covers five important human health and environmental criteria: ecological site improvement, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, and indoor environmental quality. A final evaluation criterion: "innovation and design process," covers expertise in sustainable design and construction, as well as design practices. As of September 21, 2010, only five other buildings in Québec had been LEED Canada CI certified.

"The LEED certification of our Head Office quite simply testifies to our commitment to sustainable development. This recognition also shows that natural gas, the principal source of energy used in our installations, has economic and environmental advantages that are fully compatible with the objective of constructing green buildings in Québec," added Guylaine Lehoux, Vice-President, Growth Sector at Gaz Métro.

LEED in brief

LEED, which stands for "Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design," is an international benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings; it promotes an overall approach to sustainability. www.cagbc.org/index_htm

Gaz Métro in brief

With $3.6 billion in assets, Gaz Métro is the major natural gas distributor in Québec. A regulated utility for more than 50 years, Gaz Métro has become the energy supplier of choice for some 180,000 customers in Québec and 136,000 customers in Vermont and it has acquired the know-how and skills needed to diversify its activities beyond natural gas. In line with its prudent growth strategy, Gas Métro has made a successful entry into the electricity distribution market in Vermont and into the development of wind energy projects in Québec. www.gazmetro.com

For further information:

Gaz Métro
Media & Public Relations
514 598-3449