The Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC), a not-for-profit, national organization advancing green building and sustainable community development practices in Canada, announced Nov. 12 that the Direct Energy Centre at Exhibition Place, Canada’s largest entertainment venue, was awarded LEED Gold Certification for Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance.
The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is an internationally recognized rating system for evaluating the sustainability of building design, construction and operations. LEED certified buildings incorporate leading-edge features that protect the environment and promote healthy working and living conditions.
As the largest venue situated at Exhibition Place, Direct Energy Centre is one of the first convention centres in Canada to receive this distinction by the CaGBC. The venue’s achievement continues to present the facility and the entire site as an industry leader in environmental and sustainability practices through the GREENSmart Program.
Venue upgrades that reached LEED Gold include:
- A reduction of over 45 percent in water use from washroom fixtures
- Increased controllable lighting systems that reduce lighting energy consumption
- An average of 72 percent of show waste being diverted from landfill
- Participation in the Toronto Smart Commute program, which demonstrated a 52 percent reduction in conventional commuting trips
“It is a significant achievement to receive this prestigious certification, I wish to congratulate and thank all Exhibition Place staff for their hard work and consistent efforts on this project” said Councillor Mark Grimes, chair of the Board of Governors, Exhibition Place. “Having also been recently awarded 3RCertified Platinum Level from the Recycling Council of Ontario, Exhibition Place is once again proving itself to be a phenomenal leader in sustainability, energy reduction and waste management.”
LEED Gold for Direct Energy Centre follows on from the LEED Silver certification of the Allstream Conference Centre awarded in 2012.
