Great West Life Realty Advisors has won three prestigious HOOPP LEAP awards for 2023.

The LEAP Awards, established by the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP), recognize property and asset managers within the organization’s portfolio for their work in sustainability, innovation and leadership.

Toronto-based GWLRA received the Technology Innovator award for its Fifth and Fifth building in Calgary; the Greenhouse Gas Performer Award for Vancouver Centre and the Greenhouse Gas Manager award for 840 Howe Street, also located in Vancouver. The properties are primarily office assets.

The Technology Innovator Award showcases GWLRA’s drive for innovation to improve the performance of the company’s managed assets and reduce their environmental footprint.

This award recognized GWLRA’s successful pilot of BrainBox AI, a digital buildings technology that uses machine learning to reduce energy consumption, extend equipment life and maintain tenant comfort. The pilot was run on 17 of 35 floors at Fifth & Fifth and achieved impressive preliminary results, with projected annual savings of 374 megawatts of electricity and 1,390 gigajoules of natural gas.

These savings will reduce carbon-dioxide-equivalent emissions by 136 tonnes and tenant costs by $62,880, said GWLRA.

The GHG Performer Award recognizes Vancouver Centre, a mixed-use office and retail complex, for commissioning two energy studies to identify and analyze emission-reduction measures. The studies identified projects to reduce carbon emissions by more than 1,000 tonnes, a target which is in line with the client’s goal to reduce emissions by 50% by 2030 and the Sustainability Benchmarking and Conservation Program, which includes five-year property-level goals for energy, water and waste reductions.

The GHG Manager award recognizes 840 Howe Street, a Class A office building, for developing and implementing a GHG-reduction plan that aims to reduce emissions by 95% by 2030. By conducting energy studies, retro-commissioning and implementing GHG- reduction measures, the team is making credible progress on reducing emissions,” said GWLRA.

GWLRA praised HOOPP for recognizing and supporting the firm’s work in sustainability, innovation and leadership.

“We share their ambition to contribute to a low-carbon economy and achieve net-zero emissions in their portfolio by 2050,” said GWLRA. “We are honoured to be part of their network of partners who are making a positive impact on the environment and the communities we serve.”

GWLRA has now captured 10 LEAP awards over the past six years.