GWL Realty Advisors - Partners in Project Green

GWL Realty Advisors­–
Energy Efficiency
CASE STUDY
About GWL Realty Advisors
Based in Toronto, Ontario, GWL Realty
Advisors is one of Canada’s largest real
estate investment advisors, with more than
825 employees and operating in major
markets throughout Canada. They provide
comprehensive asset management, property
management, development and specialized
real estate advisory services to pension funds
and institutional clients. Their extensive
experience in all aspects of real estate
Building exterior of GWL Realty Advisors industrial portfolio
investment, management and development
across the office, industrial, retail, and multiresidential asset classes allows them to develop and implement portfolio, asset and
development strategies that focus on creating long-term, sustainable value.
Location
Address: 90 Burnhamthorpe Rd, Mississauga, Ontario
Phone: 905-275-6600
EMAIL: info@gwlra.com
Website: www.gwlra.com
Energy Efficiency – Retrofit General
GWL Realty Advisors significantly improved the energy efficiency in their industrial buildings
situated within the Pearson Eco-Business Zone by upgrading outdated mercury thermostats in
the warehouse area to programmable thermostats. To ensure the mercury in the old thermostats
was disposed of properly, they were returned to the original vendor, who recycled it through the
proper channels.
GWL Realty Advisors continuously works with their tenants to improve the occupant experience
within their buildings. When they noticed that the majority of tenants in their industrial building
portfolio work during regular business hours, the company recognized the potential to save
on energy costs and operate more efficiently by automating the thermostat system to turn gas
heating on and off according to when occupants would be present in the building. This allowed
the property management team to improve temperature control and increase comfort in their
buildings while saving money and reducing environmental impacts.
CASE STUDY
Approximately 180 tenants were involved in the project, and 522 thermostats were retrofitted. Part
of the project included educating tenants and their employees on how to use the thermostats and
how to change the various functions. This training and education phase ensured that each tenant
was engaged, understood the benefits, and supported the project.
An Enbridge Gas rebate provided GWL Realty Advisors with $40 per thermostat for a total rebate
of $22,080. Based on Enbridge Gas calculations, each thermostat retrofitted would result in a
savings of approximately $170.00. Before starting any energy reduction project, check with the
local utilities to see what incentives are available. Replacement of the thermostats was charged
back to the tenants as operation costs which tenants, in the form of energy savings, recuperated
within the first heating season. Going forward, GWL Realty Advisors industrial tenants will
experience an average cumulative savings of $93,840 per year on their gas bills. This retrofit project
will also save 304,326 M3 of natural gas and 540,330 kg of CO2 emissions on an annual basis.
GWL Realty Advisors continues to be one of the leaders in the movement towards eco-efficiencies
as they have realized that there are huge potential financial and environmental savings with very
small investments. They hope to inspire other property management organizations and businesses
to start with small but impactful changes that are easy to implement and make a positive difference
to the environment and the bottom line.
Before: The old mercury thermostats
After: 552 thermostats retrofitted to new
programmable thermostats throughout the
Pearson Eco Business Zone