Park Place, Vancouver's First Downtown Office Tower Awarded LEED® Canada EB: O&M 2009 Gold Certification

Office tower's environmental performance recognized

VANCOUVER, Aug. 21, 2012 /CNW/ - Park Place has been awarded LEED® EB: O&M Gold certification under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Canada 2009 program. Owned by British Columbia Investment Management Corporation (bcIMC), this 35-storey 593,000 square foot Class A office tower is the first in Vancouver's downtown core to receive LEED® Canada EB: O&M 2009 Gold certification to date.

"An important bcIMC objective has been achieved by securing LEED Gold at Park Place in Vancouver. The certification confirms that sustainable best practices are in place at the property and is an indication of our commitment to environmental stewardship within our real estate portfolio," said Mary Garden, vice president, real estate, bcIMC. "Tenant collaboration was very important in helping to achieve this prestigious certificate. We thank our tenants for their support and celebrate this achievement with them."

Tenants occupying Park Place enjoy the benefits of a LEED® EB: O&M building -- conducting business in a productive environment, and reporting a variety of measurable operational savings.

To reach LEED® EB: O&M Gold certification standards, several targeted initiatives were implemented.

• An ongoing energy saving program reduced overall building GHG emissions by 12 percent between 2010 and 2011, with further reductions expected as a result of continuous energy conservation efforts. Currently Park Place is more energy efficient than 80 percent of commercial buildings, as benchmarked by the US EPA's Energy Star Portfolio Manager.
• A water management program reduced flow fixture water consumption by 30 percent, as benchmarked by LEED®.
• A recycling program increased waste diverted away from landfills by 18 percent between June 2011 and 2012, to its current rate of 66 percent.
• A comprehensive indoor air quality program has significantly improved occupant comfort.

Park Place is one of Vancouver's most prestigious office buildings, situated in the heart of the financial district just steps from the city's prominent business clubs, fine restaurants, hotels, theatres and shopping centres. GWL Realty Advisors Inc. manages Park Place on behalf of bcIMC.

LEED® is a third-party certification program and an internationally recognized benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings. Administered in Canada by the Canada Green Building Council, the LEED® EB: O&M program uses a rating system to promote a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in key areas of human and environmental health, including water and energy efficiency, and indoor air quality.

About bcIMC

bcIMC is an independent investment management corporation that manages a globally diversified investment portfolio of $92.1 billion as of March 31, 2012. Based in Victoria, British Columbia and supported by industry-leading expertise, bcIMC invests in all major asset classes including infrastructure and other strategic investments. bcIMC's clients include public sector pension plans, public trusts, and insurance funds. With real estate holdings valued at $16.7 billion (gross value) as of March 31, 2012, bcIMC is one of Canada's major property owners and developers. bcIMC's Canadian real estate portfolio includes offices, retail malls, residential and industrial buildings, hotels, and interests in real estate management companies. For more information, please visit www.bcimc.com.

Image with caption: " Park Place, owned by British Columbia Investment Management Corporation (bcIMC) is one of Vancouver's most prestigious office buildings. (CNW Group/GWL Realty Advisors Inc.)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120821_C8315_PHOTO_EN_17110.jpg

SOURCE: GWL Realty Advisors Inc.

For more information regarding bcIMC, contact:
Gwen-Ann Chittenden, 250-387-4650 | [email protected]

For more information regarding GWL Realty Advisors Inc., contact:
Michele Walkau, 416-552-5143 | [email protected]