The Lasalle Investment Management building located at 70 University Ave. in downtown Toronto has received a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design gold rating for Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance (LEED EB:O&M). Managed by Avison Young, the office tower is one of the first Class A buildings in the city to achieve this status.

“This designation is a reflection of LaSalle’s dedication to sustainability and ensuring that our buildings perform at the highest level possible,” says Sam Barbieri, senior vice-president of asset management at LaSalle Investment Management.

Built in 1982, the 245,000-square-foot highrise office tower underwent substantial renovation last year to improve its environmental sustainability. Benefits of LEED certification for tenants include best-in-class energy and water management practices, improved indoor air quality and healthier work environment, lower energy costs (resulting in operating cost savings for tenants), reduced carbon footprint, and rigorous ongoing monitoring and maintenance of building HVAC, electrical and envelope systems.

“More importantly, LEED gold EB:O&M will ensure we continue to improve,” says Steve Ichelson, Avison Young’s vice-president of operations and Ontario building management. “We will have to recertify in a few years, so we cannot take certification for granted.”

LEED EB:O&M is unlike any other LEED certification in that it focuses on the operation and maintenance phase of the building life cycle rather than the construction phase. Buildings must file for recertification at least once every five years to maintain their LEED status. Recertification requires demonstration of compliance for the entire period of time since the last certification.