Victoria’s Dockside Green Community ties own LEED Platinum world record score for Phase II - Balance

Victoria, BC, Canada – Dockside Green, a mixed-use residential and commercial real estate development in Victoria, British Columbia has received its second residential LEED Platinum ranking through the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) – this time for the two towers known as Balance.

The first master-planned development to target LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum certification, Dockside Green is making strides with adding yet another LEED Platinum phase to the list. The second phase, Balance, consisting of 171 homes in two towers earned an identical score to Phase I Synergy with 63 out of 70 points - a world record then and now.

“Dockside Green continues to be a model for sustainable community development with the second residential phase, Balance, earning LEED Platinum designation,” says Thomas Mueller, president and CEO of the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC). “Living up to its commitment of LEED Platinum designation for eligible buildings and sustainable infrastructure technologies, Dockside is leading by example as one of the most innovative green communities in North America and globally.”

The LEED® Green Building Rating System is a voluntary, consensus-based certification program for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings. Through a third-party review process conducted by industry experts, the system rates projects based on a points system that was developed by the U.S. Green Building Council and adapted for Canada by the Canada Green Building Council.

Dockside Green achieved full points in the categories of sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, indoor environmental quality, and innovation and design process through the use of:

• Biomass gasification District Energy System utilizing wood-waste to create all heat energy and hot water
• Improved building insulation, high performance glazing and shading leading to significant building energy savings
• Exhaust air energy (heat) recovery
• Reduced lighting power densities with energy-efficient fixtures and occupancy sensors
• Treating 100% of waste water in an on-site plant
• Reducing indoor potable water use by over 65 per cent with dual flush toilets, low-flow fixtures, and use of treated water for flushing toilet, irrigation and water features
• Green roofs and naturalized creek on site

“At the outset, we made it a priority to have Dockside Green reach the highest standard of LEED certification, and we’re absolutely thrilled that we’ve achieved this for our second phase,” says James M Miller, Director, Strategic Business Investments, Vancity. “It’s been very rewarding to see the impact that Dockside has had on the green development movement across the globe, and we look forward to continuing to be a leader in this area.”

About Dockside Green
In the heart of downtown Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, Dockside Green is shaping up to be a community like no other. Owned by Vancity, Dockside Green is transforming 15 acres of harbourfront industrial land into a community of the future, complete with residential, office, retail and commercial space incorporating the very highest in green standards. For more information go to www.docksidegreen.com

About Vancity
You’re part of something greater when you do business with Vancity  - we’re committed to making a positive impact on the quality of life where we live and work and beyond.  Since 2004, we have invested over $100 million of our profits back into the communities we serve. Vancity is a member of the Global Alliance for Banking on Values – a network of the world’s leading sustainable banks sharing the commitment to social banking. Vancity is Canada’s largest credit union, with $14.4 billion in assets, more than 414,000 members and 59 branches throughout Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley, Victoria and Squamish. More information about Vancity is available at www.vancity.com.

About the Canada Green Building Council                                                                       
The CaGBC is the leading national industry organization advancing green building practices for liveable communities. It represents 1,800 member organizations involved in the design, construction, and operation of buildings. The Council implements the LEED® Green Building Rating System in Canada. For more information on the CaGBC, visit www.cagbc.org.

For interviews or further information contact:

Lorraine Wilson
Media Relations Consultant
Vancity
1.604.877.4539
778-837-0394 C