CASE STUDY 25 YORK STREET

ocated on once-abandoned Buildings: Operations & Main- railway lands, this $250 tenance Platinum certification in million project revital- 2012. The team identified and ized this site on Toronto’s implemented best practices that waterfront.L The first major office would continue the sustainable development south of the railway commitment to occupant comfort tracks in more than a decade, 25 and environmental responsibility. York includes 30 stories with a Tenant organizations are increas- five-level podium and three lev- ingly seeking green building els of parking. The building is space in the Toronto market and located in the heart of the Toronto across North America (see For downtown core, just south of the More Information on the Economic financial district. Benefits of Green Buildings). The AAA office building includes Whether it’s for keeping and attract- a gourmet kitchen for employees to ing employees, reducing long-term © Enermodal Engineering / Shai Gil Fotography prepare food, rooftop garden patios, operating costs, or part of a broader Above The building team viewed ground floor retail, a fitness center, corporate sustainability initiative, sustainability as an important element in COMPETITIVE designing a competitive, AAA office tower in a prayer room, and massage rooms. tenants are putting sustainability on the Toronto rental market. Conservation mea- Linking directly to the major attrac- the “must-have list.” sures reduce long-term operating costs, while green certification helps attract tenants. tions of the downtown core, the On the opposite side, developers Opposite The building is set back from the Toronto underground PATH walk- and property managers are seeing street, providing ample space for pedes- way through 25 York provides direct increased competition. By focusing trians. Its location next to Toronto’s Union EDGE indoor access to Union Station and on energy management, managers Station provides convenient access to alter- native transportation. in-building bicycle storage and can reduce the impact of rising util- showers. This building is steps ity costs on their tenants. BUILDING AT A GLANCE from the waterfront, the Air Canada Though a green certification might Centre (home to three Toronto pro- not increase rent, not having it for Name 25 York Street fessional sports teams), the enter- a new development is a bigger risk; Location Toronto tainment district, and the financial this could lead to not being able to Owner Menkes Union Tower Inc. core, plus many major restaurants attract tenants to a space quickly. Principal Use Office, podium level retail and retail chains. Sustainable building certification Employees/Occupants 3,281 The building features large floor has progressed from “why” to “why Expected (Design) Occupancy 100% plates and a state-of-the-art build- not” certify. Percent Occupied 100% ing technology platform for the Gross Square Footage 853,266 distribution of air, voice, data and Water and Site Conditioned Space 775,368 power cabling. Building occupants Despite its location in the downtown BY JON W. DOUGLAS AND VICTOR HALDER Distinctions/Awards LEED-C&S Gold, enjoy personal control over their core, 25 York Street incorporates 2011; LEED-EB O&M Platinum, 2012; AFrame Studio temperature and airflow volume green space in a variety of ways. BOMA Canada Earth Award, 2012; Environmental benefits and long-term operations cost savings have traditionally BOMA BESt (Building Environmental through underfloor air distribu- The building’s green and white Standards) Level 4, 2012 been the main drivers of sustainable design. But building owners — including the tion, an abundance of daylight with reflective roof helps minimize the Construction Cost CAN$185 million owner of one of Toronto’s newest office towers — are also viewing high performing incorporated daylight sensors for urban heat island effect. Occupants Cost Per Square Foot CAN$217 indirect/direct lighting, and exterior enjoy a podium level rooftop green Project Cost CAN$250 million buildings as a competitive edge in leasing and managing office space. The strategy views from 90% of the occupied space that can be used at lunch or (includes site work, consultant costs) has worked for 25 York Street, which leased 90% of its space in the first year and spaces in the building. for entertainment events. Substantial Completion/Occupancy The property management A combination of measures, June 2010 100% in the second year, outpacing the market’s average lease-out rate. team received LEED for Existing including dual-flush toilets, low flow

54 HIGH PERFORMING BUILDINGS Fall 2013 Fall 2013 HIGH PERFORMING BUILDINGS 55

This article was published in High Performing Buildings, Fall 2013. Copyright 2013. Posted at www.hpbmagazine.org. This article may not be copied and/or distributed electronically or in paper form without permission of ASHRAE. For more information about High Performing Buildings, visit www.hpbmagazine.org. Energy manner resulting in expected energy FOR MORE INFORMATION ON Recognizing the environmental efficiency and occupant comfort. THE ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF GREEN BUILDINGS impacts associated with energy The property manager also hired used by office buildings, the owner an energy management consultant Doug Gatlin. 2008. “The Green charged the design team with creat- to monitor performance and identify Building Advantage Won’t Last Long.” The Sustainable Enterprise Report: ing a high performance building. opportunities to further push energy Turning Awareness into Action. These systems help protect tenants performance, which has resulted http://tinyurl.com/kk8st4r from rising utility costs while provid- in an ENERGY STAR score of 88. S. Michael Brooks. 2012. “The Value ing occupants with a superior space. Building energy conservation mea- of Green Buildings.” Property Biz Canada. http://tinyurl.com/l6tpbwc The project team hired an inde- sures include an airtight, well-insu- pendent commissioning agent to lated envelope, high performance Kristena Hansen. 2013. “Real Estate: ‘Greener’ Buildings Showing High peer review the design, provide windows, automated solar tracking Prices, Easier Sales.” Phoenix Business recommendations for new technolo- interior shades in addition to light- Journal. http://tinyurl.com/m2t5wlp gies, ensure installation of systems ing and HVAC strategies. was correctly done and provides Energy monitoring identified that operational support during the first the building was using 35% more faucets and rainwater reuse, reduce year of operations. This commis- electricity for lighting and power water use. Rainwater is collected sioning process included functional panels compared to the energy model Advertisement formerly in this space. from the roof, stored in an under- testing, confirming that all system prediction. This higher than expected ground 29,000 gallon cistern and components operated in an integrated energy use was due to approximately used to flush the toilets and urinals on floors three through five. Limiting the reclaimed water use to three floors reduces the cost of dual plumbing and doesn’t hinder the water savings. This design also allows the fixtures to run off of city water pressure, eliminating any need for a connection to the tower booster pumps, saving energy and reducing costs. Landscaping consists of native adaptive vegetation species, reduc- ing watering demands. A highly efficient drip irrigation system is fed from the rainwater cistern. Based on actual metered data for 2012 and assuming 252 working days per year and 3,281 occupants in the building, the building’s water use is 37% lower than a typical office building.

Landscaping on the rooftop patio and else- where consists of native adaptive vegetation, reducing watering demands. A highly effi- cient drip irrigation system is fed from the Shai Gil Fotography rainwater cistern.

56 HIGH PERFORMING BUILDINGS Fall 2013 occupancy. Continued monitoring will District cooling from the DES also WATER AT A GLANCE OCCUPANT COMFORT SURVEY safeguard the building from falling out eliminates the on-site chiller plant, of “energy calibration” and will result Annual Water Use 7,933,369 gallons Building management conducted a survey areas included acoustics and office lay- cooling tower and concern for mainte- in continued savings into the future. of all building occupants to determine out, which are outside the control of the nance and operation of this plant. The overall satisfaction with comfort in the property manager. However, the property DES uses deep lake cooling to pro- ENERGY AT A GLANCE building. The survey was developed and manager shared this information with the Lighting administered through the Center for the individual tenant groups, and suggested vide cooling energy that already has Built Environment at the University of how they could address these concerns of Electronic ballasts, an automatic Annual Energy Use Intensity (EUI) (Site) a very high coefficient of performance California, Berkeley. their occupants, including white noise to 70.1 kBtu/ft2 lighting control system comprising Areas of the survey included: office lay- address the acoustics concerns. (COP), which is not possible for an on- Electricity (From Grid) 46.1 kBtu/ft2

© Enermodal Engineering / Shai Gil Fotography out, office furnishings, thermal comfort, air Thermal comfort was the final area of of a Digital Addressable Lighting Deep Lake Cooling Energy 3 kBtu/ft2 site chiller and cooling tower plant. Located on once-abandoned railway lands, quality, lighting, acoustics, building clean- concern. Occupants were not aware of the District Steam Energy 21 kBtu/ft2 this $250-million project revitalized this Interface (DALI), and extensive use liness and maintenance, recycling sys- underfloor air distribution system’s individ- This cooling technology significantly area on Toronto’s waterfront. Nearby attrac- of occupancy sensors and daylight Annual Source Energy 189.5 kBtu/ft2* tems, and daylighting controls. Occupant ual controls, since they were accustomed reduces the need for electricity use. tions include a professional sports venue, sensors contribute to a low lighting responses were collected anonymously via to traditional office space where they had Cooling is primarily provided via the entertainment district and the financial Annual Energy Cost Index (ECI) an internet hyperlink, which was emailed no control over the ventilation or tempera- 2 core, plus restaurants and retail chains. power density (LPD). This design CAN$3.23/ft to all occupants. ture of individual workstations. The prop- down discharge VAV compartmental reduces the cooling load and energy Annual Load Factor 64% The building scored well overall; only erty manager addressed these concerns units on each floor. Chilled water three categories resulted in rates of more by providing education on operating the 50% of the total load being on dur- consumption by eliminating unnec- Average Monthly Peak Demand 2,068 kW than 20% occupant dissatisfaction. These system’s controls. is available to meet process equip- ing unoccupied hours, when it was essary artificial lighting. Savings vs. Calibrated MNECB 1997 ment cooling requirements in local expected that only 20% of the total Efficient T8 lamps are used in the Reference building 21%** area network (LAN) rooms, eleva- load should have been operating. washrooms, storage/service areas, Below The ground floor, mezzanine floor and tors, machine rooms and telephone ENERGY STAR Rating 88 the third floor are served by three dedicated Building management worked with parking garage and stairwells. T5HO 2 HVAC air-handling units with demand-control venti- rooms via dedicated terminal units Carbon Footprint 7.2 lb CO2e/ft · yr tenants to identify the source of the lamps and task lights with a LPD of The heating and cooling systems are lation. CO2 sensors are located on the return to limit space temperatures. Renewable Energy Certificates duct and multiple CO2 sensors are located in excess energy use and determined 0.1 W/ft² are used in office areas. 21,857 MWh (valid until August 2014) served by the local district energy densely populated areas. Ventilation air is provided to the Number of Years Contracted to strategies to ensure equipment and Exterior lighting includes low level system (DES) piped through heat Bottom Building occupants enjoy personal office area (floors 4–30) via a common Purchase RECs 2 lighting only operate when required. flood lights and recessed high-inten- exchangers and circulating pumps. control over their temperature and airflow Reductions in airflow rates through sity discharge lamps, while LED exit Heating Degree Days (base 65°F) 5,565 The DES generates and distributes volume via floor air diffusers. AFrame Studio the compartmental units also signs provide additional lighting sav- Cooling Degree Days (base 65°F) 957 thermal energy at the community increased energy savings. ings. The effective LPD (0.76 W/ft² Annual Hours Occupied 2,340 level, rather than generating it on Actual annual energy use ) was estimated as 41% lower than site at buildings. This system avoids intensity decreased by 2% from ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-1999 * Deep lake cooling energy is converted to equivalent the use of on-site infrastructure and electrical input power by using 0.29 kW/ton and then 2011 (71.3 kBtu/ft2) to 2012 for office buildings (25% and 15% multiplied by electricity source-site ratio of 3.34. boilers, while also eliminating costly (70.1 kBtu/ft2), despite increases lower than Standard 90.1-2007 and ** According to LEED Canada-NC Version 1.0, maintenance and operating concerns. a reduction of more than 21% compared to in cooling degree days and tenant Standard 90.1-2010 respectively). the MNECB reference building equals a reduc- Heating for office spaces is pro- tion of more than 11% energy compared to ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-1999. vided via perimeter hydronic finned elements, which are recessed into FIGURE 1 TYPICAL ENERGY END USE FIGURE 2 2012 MONTHLY ENERGY CONSUMPTION the raised floor plenum. The build- ing entrance and the high glazed Lighting and Receptacles areas are heated via fan coil units Parking Garage located below the glazed surface or and Ancillary over the revolving door. Mechanical The perimeter hydronic finned Ventilation Fan kBtu Computer Room elements have underfloor air dif- Retail fusers that stratify heat effectively Heating and increase occupant comfort. The ©Enermodal Engineering / Shai Gil Fotography Cooling fan coils have finned tube coils and fans, which are compact in design to

Actual Energy Predicted Energy provide heating at the entrance and high glazed areas where individual zone control is required.

58 HIGH PERFORMING BUILDINGS Fall 2013 Fall 2013 HIGH PERFORMING BUILDINGS 59 building automation system (BAS) DEEP LAKE WATER COOLING SYSTEM BUILDING ENVELOPE for monitoring and controlling HAVC equipment, energy consump- A deep lake water cooling system oper- its path to the city’s potable water system Roof tion and environmental comfort. ated by Enwave Energy Corporation takes and is not returned to the lake. Type Type III, built-up roofing on con- advantage of Lake Ontario’s icy waters to If necessary, district cooling water can Steelcase ©2013 crete deck provide cooling to 64 Toronto buildings, be further chilled by two 4,700 ton steam- Overall R-value R-20 Envelope and Glazing including 25 York Street. During winter, driven centrifugal chillers. Heat exchangers Walls air shaft served by two central The envelope primarily consists the surface of Lake Ontario cools to about at the customer buildings cool the internal 39°F. This cold water sinks to the lake’s building loop, providing chilled water for Type Spandrel panel and curtain wall makeup air units. Compartment VAV of curtain wall and spandrel panel bottom during the summer, and remains the building cooling systems. with some masonry wall on the ground floor and mezzanine floor units located on each floor mix return with some masonry walls on the very cold despite the summer heat. Source: Enwave Energy Corporation Three high-density polyethylene pipes Overall R-value R-4.5 air with outdoor air. Supply air is pro- ground floor and mezzanine floor. draw water from a depth of 272 ft, trans- Glazing Percentage 77% vided through floor diffusers via an The windows are insulated double porting it to a filtration plant. At the next Windows underfloor distribution network. glazed units (IGU), low e-coated, stage, heat exchangers facilitate an Effective U-factor for Assembly 0.34 energy transfer between the cold lake Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) 0.22 The ventilation air is controlled by 0.75 in. argon (90%) filled gaps water and the 7.5 mile closed chilled Visual Transmittance 0.36 CO sensors located in the return with thermal breaks. water supply loop. Once the energy 2 transfer process is complete, Location duct of each floor, four CO2 sensors Automatic solar tracking interior the lake water continues on Latitude 43.64 N located in the open office space and blinds control solar gain and glare Longitude 79.4 W Orientation True north is at 16O 47’ Top Left These work spaces provide mobile additional CO2 sensors in high den- in the building. They also reduce 30” of west workers access to phones, power and ample sity areas such as meeting rooms. heat loss in winter and heat gain in work surfaces. Occupancy sensors also control ven- summer, saving energy. Top Right The building’s design offers abun- dant daylighting with incorporated daylight tilation supply, which is distributed The U-value for windows is 0.34, sensors for indirect/direct lighting. Ninety per- through underfloor air diffusers that while the spandrel panel has an Institutional Energy Use – Building cent of occupied spaces have exterior views. direct fresh air to the occupants. effective insulation R-value of 4.5. SCIEU-2009, published in Above Meeting rooms and offices in this tenant space have glass fronts, providing The ground floor, mezzanine floor The roof is type III, built-up roofing December 2012. transparency, privacy and daylighting. Over and the third floor are served by on concrete deck with an overall roof The HVAC system uses non-CFC 75% of wood used in the building is from three dedicated air-handling units insulation of R-20. The foundation is refrigerant, R-410A, which meets Forest Stewardship Council certified sources. with demand-control ventilation. comprised of a 26 in. concrete wall. LEED requirements. The annual CO sensors are located on the energy consumption has been KEY SUSTAINABLE FEATURES 2 return duct and multiple CO2 sen- Measuring and Verifying mechanical energy consumption on The building has been in opera- reduced by 16 million kBtu as com- Water Conservation Low flow fixtures, sors are located in densely popu- A microprocessor based electronic each floor in addition to the other tion for more than three years, and pared to MNECB reference building, native species landscaping and rain col- lated areas. metering system is installed for ten- energy end uses included in Figure 1. 2012 monthly energy consumption reducing equivalent CO emissions lecting cistern for urinal/toilet flushing 2 and irrigation. An independent direct digital ant and base building sub-metering. The electrical meter data are is shown in Figure 2. The 2012 by 726 tons based on Ontario elec- Materials Construction waste diversion: control (DDC) system works as a It monitors lighting, receptacle and integrated to the building automa- annual energy consumption was tricity generation and greenhouse gas 93%; one-fifth of materials regionally tion system for automated data 70 kBtu/ft2 · yr, with an energy cost (GHG) emission factor. sourced; one-third of materials recycled. trending and archiving. The steam index of CAN$3.23/ft2 · yr. Actual DISTRICT STEAM HEATING SYSTEM Daylighting Automated interior shades meter and chilled water energy annual energy consumption is 1% Material Choices reduce glare and optimize daylight; 90% of spaces have an exterior view. Toronto’s district steam heating system townsfolk devised a method of distributing meter provide the heating and cool- higher than predicted due to minor During the design process, the proj- supplies in excess of 626 MW of steam warm water through wooden pipes that is ing energy consumption. operational issues associated with ect team sought sustainable materi- Individual Controls Adjustable floor dif- to more than 140 downtown institutional, still in use today. The first commercial dis- fusers for ventilation air. commercial (including 25 York Street) and trict heating system was created by Birdsill The design stage energy simulation optimizing control sequences of als, which were sourced from local governmental buildings (representing over Holly in Lockport, N.Y., in 1877. Transportation Mitigation Strategies predicted an annual energy reduc- various mechanical equipment. manufacturers, made from recycled 40 million ft2). The system, operated by Today, approximately 150 district energy Located next to Union Station, a major tion of 25.4% relative to Canada’s The building uses 70.1 kBtu/ft² · yr, materials, or came from certified Enwave Energy Corporation, is powered systems of varying sizes operate in public transportation hub. On-site bike by three steam plants, which can switch Canada. According to the International 1997 Model National Energy Code 34% less than the typical Canadian forests (over 75% of the wood used rental provides convenient bicycle access between natural gas or oil, depending on District Energy Association, some 5,000 for use throughout the downtown core. for Buildings (MNECB) baseline. commercial office building aver- is Forest Stewardship Council certi- which is most available and cost effective. district energy systems operate in the 2 Other Major Sustainable Features The oldest known district heating system United States, heating and cooling roughly Based on measured data the actual age of 105.6 kBtu/ft · yr. The fied). Ninety-three percent of con- Green roof terrace, green tenant guide- dates back to the 1300s in Chaudes- 8% of all commercial office space. energy savings were 21% below the typical office building energy data is struction waste was salvaged or recy- lines, green housekeeping program. Aigues Cantal, a village in France. The Source: Enwave Energy Corporation calibrated reference building based derived from the Natural Resources cled and diverted from the landfill. on the MNECB 1997. Canada’s Survey of Commercial and To ensure good indoor air quality, all

60 HIGH PERFORMING BUILDINGS Fall 2013 Fall 2013 HIGH PERFORMING BUILDINGS 61 rate of more than 85%. The building These guidelines also can provide team is targeting the ultimate goal of guidance on sustainable construc- eliminating waste sent to the landfill. tion practices for smaller alterations The building features multiple in the building. Following these collection bins for various types of guidelines is voluntary; however, Steelcase ©2013 Shai Gil Fotography waste to ensure materials like paper they have been well received Left The building uses 70.1 kBtu/ft² • yr, 34% aren’t compromised from liquid left by tenants, and widely used in Whittaker David less than a typical Canadian commercial sealants, adhesives, paints, coatings, reduce the environmental impacts over in glass bottle or cans. Less the building. The AAA office building includes a gour- office building. Heating and cooling systems met kitchen for employees to prepare laminates, composites, and carpet of maintenance and upkeep. For are served by the local district energy system. frequent waste items like electron- food, rooftop garden patios, ground floor are low off-gassing varieties. facilities in a northern climate, Above An automatic lighting control system ics and furniture are donated for Conclusion retail, a fitness center, a prayer room snow maintenance, which can comprising of a digital addressable lighting reuse or sent to recycling facili- As one of Toronto’s premier new and massage rooms. interface, efficient lighting and daylight/ Sustainable Operations involve the overuse of salt, can have occupancy sensors contribute to a low light- ties. Building management seeks office towers, 25 York Street dem- The facility has implemented poli- a significant environmental impact. ing power density. to engage occupants by making onstrates the benefits of energy ABOUT THE AUTHORS cies for housekeeping, site man- However, the implementation of them aware of programs like the efficiency and sustainability. The

agement and pest management to best practices, such as removing accumulated snow before applying waste diversion efforts and broader AAA office tower meets tenant Jon W. Douglas is national program deicer, ensuring deicing application sustainability issues. expectations for a modern office, manager for existing buildings for devices are calibrated to the width The building team provides green while still achieving multiple LEED Enermodal Engineering, a member of LESSONS LEARNED the MMM Group Limited in Toronto. of the path, and applying deicer tenant guidelines to new tenants certifications. When combined with Victor Halder is energy analyst at Education. The building management quadruple the cost. Installing these meters before the ice has bonded to the (who may not be pursuing LEED cer- sustainable operations and tenant Enermodal Engineering, a member team worked with tenant groups after the during construction saves money in the long surface can dramatically reduce the tification) to address sustainability involvement, green building design of MMM Group Limited, in Kitchener, occupant comfort survey identified areas run and can provide valuable information to Ontario, Canada. of occupant dissatisfaction or confusion the property team during operations. use of salt. These practices have in their fit-out and coordinate with can positively impact occupants and regarding how to use building systems. resulted in reducing the quantity the base building efforts. the owner’s bottom line. Main areas of concern were acoustic qual- Motivated Team. A motivated site team is • ity, office layout and general operations. key to pursuing and obtaining LEED EB: of deicer used, which means less One response by the building team O&M. It is important that the site team is chemical residue making its way involved explaining to occupants the rea- not only committed to the effort, but also into the water system. soning behind some of the changes, such is excited to work on the project. Everyone as the automatic blinds that track the sun on the property team already has a full- A building waste management to reduce glare and heat load. Tenants time job and has a full plate of tasks to be program has resulted in a diversion expressed concerns about the blinds mov- completed, so adding a LEED certification ing throughout the day and questioned the can be overwhelming. Keys to motivating a reasoning for their automation. The team team include a high commitment level from BUILDING TEAM allayed concerns by explaining that the the property management company, tenant blinds are designed to keep occupants willingness to participate, and an explana- Building Owner/Representative Menkes Advertisement formerly in this space. comfortable and increase energy efficiency. tion of how the process will improve build- Property Management Services Ltd. The building team also informed tenants ing operations. A team that is motivated that the building audio system could be used and passionate about sustainability is Architect Adamson Associates Architects to provide white noise to the open office more likely to develop innovative strate- areas to address acoustic concerns from the gies, streamline documentation efforts and General Contractor occupants. The minimal mechanical equip- maintain new programs. Menkes Construction Ltd. ment results in little background sound. Mechanical Engineer, Commissioning Tenant Education. While implementing green Agent TMP Consulting Engineers Water Submeters. Water submetering operation programs as part of LEED EB: can be an important tool to provide valve O&M certification, the property manager Electrical Engineer, Lighting Design information for performance and diagnostic discovered that tenant education was a Mulvey & Banani purposes. In the LEED for New Construction critical element. Informing occupants in Energy Consultant, Sustainability/LEED rating system, points are only awarded advance of the program’s implementation Consultant Enermodal Engineering for the installation of energy meters, and and explaining its rationale greatly improved often water submetering is cut to save the program’s success. These programs Structural Engineer Stephenson costs. However, it is next to impossible to included the zero waste target and energy determine why water use is high or how conservation. Explaining objectives and Civil Engineer MMM much water a rain harvesting system is sav- how the programs would benefit occupants Environmental Consultant Theakston ing without these meters. Installing water helped make the implementation process meters in a live system postconstruction can go smoothly and allowed for tenant input. Landscape Architect MBTW

62 HIGH PERFORMING BUILDINGS Fall 2013