HOOPP Awards Property Managers for Leadership in Energy Conservation: Recognizes Top 10 Properties

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - July 10, 2012) -

Editors Note: Photos for this release are available on the CP picture wire via Marketwire.

The 10 "greenest" office buildings in the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan's portfolio were honoured last night, along with the property managers who run them. The LEAP (Leadership in Environmental Advancement Program) awards, sponsored by HOOPP, recognized the leaders in energy conservation this year. A total of 95 HOOPP-owned office buildings were rated for the competition which was conducted by LOOP Initiatives, an independent organization.

"At HOOPP, we have always believed that healthier buildings make for healthier workers and attract top tenants," says Michael Catford, Vice President, Real Estate. "This program makes that commitment more public, since the winners will post their certificates prominently in the buildings they manage. This is a first in the Canadian market place and we feel it recognizes the leadership that property managers and tenants are taking in selecting HOOPP properties."

HOOPP's top 10 office properties consume 40 per cent less energy than the national average for commercial buildings, which is equivalent to annual cost savings of approximately $4 million and energy savings of 40 million ekWh. This is equivalent to the annual energy used by approximately 1,300 Canadian households.

"This is a great new program to encourage energy efficiency. I congratulate HOOPP and its property managers," said Energy Minister Chris Bentley, who delivered remarks during the ceremony.

The top 10 properties and their managers ranked one through ten were:

• Menkes, 25 York St., Toronto ON
• Triovest, ATCO building, 10035 105^th St., Edmonton AB
• Morguard, 99 Metcalfe St., Ottawa ON
• Eastport, 120 Eileen Stubbs Ave., Dartmouth NS
• Morguard, 200 Kent St., Ottawa ON
• Morguard, Oakville (ON) Corporate Centre III
• Triovest, Willingdon I, Burnaby BC
• Triovest, Sussex Place, 1001 Douglas St., Victoria
• Morguard, Oakville (ON) Corporate Centre II
• Triovest, 200 Graham Ave., Winnipeg

In future years, the awards program will look at other environmental indicators such as greenhouse gas emissions, carbon reduction, water consumption, and waste diversion.

HOOPP invests in income-producing properties and its $6 billion high quality portfolio makes up 11.5 per cent of HOOPP's $40.3 billion in assets. While most of the real estate portfolio is in Canada, HOOPP has expanded into the European market with a development at St. James' Gateway in London, and with a partner, the Nova Karolina mall in Ostrava, Czech Republic.

In Canada, HOOPP has a total of 194 properties in Alberta, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Quebec and Ontario.

HOOPP recently won four Investments & Pensions Europe Real Estate Awards: Best Real Estate Investor, Best Large Real Estate Investor, Best Innovation, and Best Institutional Investor.

About the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan

Created in 1960, the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP) is the pension plan of choice for Ontario's hospital and community-based healthcare sector with over 370 participating healthcare organizations.

Among our 270,000 members and retirees are nurses, medical technicians, food services and laundry workers - and the many other people who work hard to provide you with your valued Ontario healthcare services.

HOOPP invests the assets of its $40.3 billion fund, administers the Plan and pays more than $1.3 billion per year in pension benefits.

As a defined benefit plan, HOOPP provides eligible members with a retirement income based on a formula that takes into account a member's earnings history and length of service in the Plan. Once eligible members start receiving a pension, they receive it for life.

HOOPP is governed by a Board of Trustees with representation from the Ontario Hospital Association (OHA) and four unions: the Ontario Nurses' Association (ONA), the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), the Ontario Public Service Employees' Union (OPSEU), and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). The unique governance model provides representation from both management and workers in support of the long-term interests of the Plan.

HOOPP was named one of Canada's 10 Most Admired Corporate Cultures.