“This goal is significant because climate change is one of the most important issues that our industry faces today,” says Rodney McDonald, Avison Young Principal and leader of the company's Global Citizenship affinity group, the umbrella term for the firm's corporate social responsibility, sustainability and philanthropy strategy. “If united, leaders in our industry will not only be able to serve our clients' sustainability goals and objectives, but also create a precedent for others in the community to follow.”

TORONTO—Avison Young has become a founding partner in the Carbon Impact Initiative, intended to lower carbon emissions from commercial buildings across Canada. The initiative is a product of construction manager EllisDon Corp.'s Low Carbon Agenda.

“Avison Young is thrilled to be the first—and only—commercial real estate services company to join the CII,” says Mark E. Rose, chair and CEO of Avison Young. “This initiative will play a key role in reducing emissions in new and existing buildings across Ontario, including office towers, shopping centers, industrial warehouses and facilities and other commercial and residential properties.”

Rose adds that his company's involvement with the initiative is “in keeping with our long-term commitment to sustainability and corporate social responsibility. A key part of this effort involves helping our clients reduce their carbon footprints. But our goals also include helping the commercial building sector manage its emissions responsibly for years to come—and our founding membership in the CII puts us on the path toward achieving that aim.”

The CII has four action items: building/retrofitting the next generation of buildings and infrastructure to meet and surpass new performance standards; developing a method to offset the footprint that building development, construction and operations incur; facilitating rapid industry adoption of chosen strategies; and creating economic opportunities connected to low carbon approaches. To that end, CII members will work with government leaders to reduce the carbon impact of commercial buildings during all stages of development, from design to operations.

“This goal is significant because climate change is one of the most important issues that our industry faces today,” says Rodney McDonald, Avison Young Principal and leader of the company's Global Citizenship affinity group, the umbrella term for the firm's corporate social responsibility, sustainability and philanthropy strategy. “If united, leaders in our industry will not only be able to serve our clients' sustainability goals and objectives, but also create a precedent for others in the community to follow.”