Building for Sustainability at EPCOR Tower

Edmonton, AB - Building for sustainability in commercial real estate creates its own unique challenges. Balancing the modern needs of tenants with the responsibility of environmental concern requires unconventional ideas and thoughtful planning. In the City of Edmonton, few commercial towers have been designed with a marked level of detail as EPCOR Tower, developed by Qualico in partnership with LEDCOR.

Located in downtown Edmonton, EPCOR Tower is LEED® Certified, a designation that meets the standards as defined by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC), the leading green building rating system for North America. The building has been crafted to consider energy efficiency, with implemented features such as automated light fixtures, an average of 78 independent cooling zones per floor, geothermal earth tubes for nature-driven heating and cooling, and toilets that recycle captured rainwater.

Even custodial services are altered to consider energy impacts. Services are performed during the day to reduce nighttime use of HVAC and lights and are completed using earth-friendly products. Waste is diverted to the city’s state-of-the-art sorting facility, reducing the amount of trash that finds its way to landfills.

The energy savings at EPCOR Tower is notable: 90 per cent reduction in stormwater run-off, 64 per cent reduction in potable water consumption by harvesting and recycling rainwater, and 23 per cent energy cost-savings with geothermal heating and cooling. When compared to any other 28-floor commercial building, the resulting cost savings is significant.

LEED® Certification is an important designation in commercial real estate for a variety of reasons. It ensures sustainable building systems which lower operating costs and meet the increasing demand by tenants to maintain environmentally respectful practices. Reduced freshwater requirements, lower electricity usage, and limited heat loss/increased heat recovery are just some of the factors decreasing the costs and impact to the environment and City utility systems. LEED® Certification also incentivizes developments to consider proximity to transit options and offer services such as bicycle parking, providing healthier commuting options to tenants.

But EPCOR Tower wasn’t simply designed to consider environmental impacts through construction. At the forefront of the project is the consideration for tenant and employee experience within the building. EPCOR Tower is one of the only towers in Edmonton to offer both a dedicated outdoor courtyard as well as two balconies on every floor. Its two-storey grand lobby is home to stunning sculptures and rotating art installations by local artists, enhanced by the ambiance of water fountains and the smell of fresh bread from the MilkCrate Café.

The building offers bicycle parking and locker rooms with showers, as well as a car sharing service. It is also located along public transit routes and offers walkable access to a sizable selection of downtown amenities. Two floors of retail shops and a fitness centre offer quality lifestyle options without having to leave the property. Balconies on every floor ensure employees have a fresh breath of air and an impressive view of the city. EPCOR Tower also offers childcare services to reduce commute times for tenants.

At Qualico, sustainability is also important to maintaining strength in its position as a long-term asset holder. By ensuring development projects not only hold but increase in value over time, invested tenants benefit from reliability, predictable operating costs, and growth opportunities. This has a direct economic impact on the community when businesses can thrive and continue to provide jobs in a stimulating and lifestyle-considerate environment.

EPCOR Tower has been thoughtfully designed to build a thriving community within an environmentally responsible space. It is a hub to connect people, encouraging productivity, creativity, and growth, all while reducing operating costs and overall impact on our precious natural resources.

For leasing inquiries, visit Qualico Commercial's website.