News
Cadillac Fairview participates in Earth Hour 2009
March 26, 2009 - On Saturday, March 28 from 8:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. all of Cadillac Fairview’s major office and retail shopping centres across Canada will participate in Earth Hour. During this hour, all non-essential lighting and equipment will be shut off, except where doing so presents a potential security or safety risk.
“We view this symbolic event as another opportunity to show our leadership and support for action on global climate change,” says Karen Jalon, Director of National Sustainable Operations for Cadillac Fairview. “Our properties throughout Canada are extremely enthusiastic about participating and have come up with innovative ways to observe Earth Hour.”
Below are just a few examples of how different CF properties plan to participate:
- Properties are communicating with their tenants to encourage them to turn off lights and equipment in both stores and office space.
- Anchor tenants and stores in retail properties have been asked to turn of exterior signage and in-store lighting/equipment.
- Properties will be turning off all equipment such as escalators, elevators, fountains, and directory boards.
- Where possible, shopping centres will reduce parking lot lighting by 50 per cent.
- Public announcements will be made over internal PA systems leading up to Earth Hour.
- Large office properties will increase security patrols/increase security staff during Earth Hour.
- Properties will reduce lobby lighting to emergency levels.
- Large properties will have a spot checker with a two-way radio outside the buildings to communicate back any floors that may have lighting on.
In addition to ensuring all major Cadillac Fairview properties participate, employees are being encouraged to take part at home and personally register for the event at www.earthhourcanada.org. Staff with the most unique Earth Hour celebrations and ideas will be highlighted in the company’s national newsletter to recognize and reward their efforts.
CF’s GREEN AT WORK™ Strategy
Participating in Earth Hour is part of CF’s ongoing commitment to ensuring staff are engaged in sustainability efforts.
The successful execution of company-wide green initiatives is being achieved through a detailed, measurable and long-term program called GREEN AT WORK™. This proprietary program is national in scope; implemented at all properties and sets operational benchmarks to reduce energy consumption and waste, improve environmental protection, encourages sustainable procurement and ongoing communication with key stakeholders.
GREEN AT WORK™ supports Cadillac Fairview’s ongoing commitment to corporate social responsibility with the belief that by working with our tenants, employees and customers we are “building sustainability together™.”
The Program is centered around two primary components, operational standards and consumption targets. Under the GREEN AT WORK™ program, CF properties must meet set consumption targets; for electricity, natural gas, and water with a target reduction of 3 per cent compounded annually, and waste diversion targets for 2009.
In addition to CF’s internal program, all major properties have achieved BOMA BESt certification, with many new and existing properties actively pursuing LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) designations.
About The Cadillac Fairview Corporation Ltd.
Cadillac Fairview is one of North America’s largest investors, owners and managers of commercial real estate with an international portfolio valued at more than $16 billion. Cadillac Fairview is wholly-owned by the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board. For more information, please visit www.cadillacfairview.com.