Dream rolls out Onvation restroom tech systems in T.O. flagship

BIZ  Real Estate, ESG, Waste  •  Office, Technology  •  National

Dream Office REIT’s downtown Toronto Adelaide Place is the first commercial tower in Canada to install Kimberley-Clark’s Onvation smart restroom management system. The sensor-laden systems are designed to reduce waste, create efficiencies for building staff and identify problems in restrooms.

Dream publishes 2019 Sustainability Report

Real Estate  •  Business Wire

The Dream Group of Companies announced the release of their 2019 Sustainability Report which highlights Dream’s progress and commitment towards its environmental, social and governance initiatives. Dream Office REIT reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 24.8% over five years is one report highlight.

RioCan REIT earns top GRESB rating with key ESG results

Real Estate  •  Globe Newswire

RioCan REIT achieved a 5-Star rating in the 2020 GRESB Real Estate Assessment – a score of 85. The 2020 score represents a 97% improvement since RioCan’s first submission in 2017. RioCan also received an ‘A’ rating, the highest GRESB public disclosure score among Canadian retailers.

Brookfield is betting billions on the race to cut carbon

Real Estate  •  Globe and Mail (Sub. req.)

Mark Carney spells out what’s behind his new role shepherding an impact fund worth as much as US$100 billion for Brookfield Asset Management focused on combatting climate change: “It’s the transition, stupid.” A transition needing more than renewable energy projects.

Federal government announces new climate change plan

Real Estate  •  CBC  •  What’s in Canada’s Climate Plan  •  Globe and Mail Editorial

Thirty years after Canadian governments started to make international commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, there is now an official path for Canada with a new federal climate change plan built on a steep rise in the carbon tax.

Sponsored by Framery Lifecycle costs: Conference rooms vs. Framery pods

Are you thinking about making a change to your company’s office space? Eyes over here please! Office tenants and managers often inquire which kind of rooms, pods or constructed conference areas, are more cost-efficient.

The rise and rise of boardroom ESG in Canada

Energy  •  Sustainable Brands  •  Report: Governance in the New Decade: The Rise of Boardroom ESG

To help boards and their advisors get up to speed on the latest trends, Governance Professionals of Canada held a virtual conference on the topic of ESG governance attended by two dozen global experts which resulted in this report.

On the fifth anniversary of the TCFD, a call to action

Real Estate  •  GreenBiz

In December 2015, in response to increasingly frequent environmental disasters that disrupted ecosystems, human health, unforeseen business losses, and jeopardized infrastructure, and the signing of the Paris Agreement,  the Financial Stability Board launched the Taskforce on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD).

Oil, gas industry seeks purpose in disrupted world

Energy  •  GreenBiz

Always controversial, yet heretofore needed, the oil and gas industry is at the crossroads of its strategy and purpose. As the stakes of the climate crisis mount, no industry is under more scrutiny over its future license to operate.

Can Shell help pilot a new era of sustainable aviation?

Energy  •  GreenBiz

Over the past year, I’ve been working with Royal Dutch Shell’s aviation division — a relatively small slice of the $344 billion (2019 revenue) energy behemoth — to develop a series of video interviews focusing on what it will take to make aviation sustainable.

Shell executives quit amid discord over green push

Real Estate  •  Financial Post

Royal Dutch Shell saw the departure of several clean energy executives, just weeks before Shell is set to announce its strategy for the energy transition, amid a split over how far and fast the company should shift towards greener fuels.

Alberta, oil sector laud changes in federal climate plan

Real Estate  •  Globe and Mail (Sub. required)  •  Globe and Mail (Sub. required)  •  Globe and Mail

The oil industry and the Alberta government say Ottawa’s removal of gaseous and solid fuels from Canada’s long-awaited federal Clean Fuel Standard will avoid an exodus of investment in the fossil fuel sector.

Prince Rupert honoured for green shipping initiatives

Real Estate  •  Business In Vancouver

With its pollution-cutting Fairview-Ridley Connector Corridor now 75% complete, the Port of Prince Rupert is being honoured for its environmental record. Green Marine has again found the port to be one of the highest environmental performers in North America.

Port of Southampton considered as hydrogen super-hub

Energy  •  H2 View

Canadian engineering consultancy WSP has been commissioned to explore the potential for a hydrogen super-hub in the U.K.’s Port of Southampton have been confirmed, following a funding commitment from gas network company SGN and Macquarie’s Green Investment Group.

Amazon’s big role in ocean plastic pollution

Real Estate  •  Globe Newswire

An Oceana report based on an analysis of e-commerce packaging data found Amazon generated 211 million kilograms of plastic waste last year, comprised of air pillows, bubble wrap and other plastic packaging adding to the seven billion Amazon packages delivered in 2019.

Retailers should value green delivery options

Real Estate  •  GreenBiz

As Amazon’s recently launched Climate Pledge Friendly program underlines, giving consumers opportunities to make green purchases can differentiate a brand and burnish its reputation as a sustainable retailer. Online retailers — including Amazon — are not offering that green purchasing options.

Nestlé to spend US$3.6B on improving climate footprint

Real Estate  •  Canadian Grocer

Nestlé, the world’s biggest food company, has said it will spend US$3.6 billion over five years to improve its climate footprint. Nestlé said the investment would increase the Switzerland-based company’s use of renewable energy, which it aims to use exclusively by 2025.

EU regulators float mandatory transparency for ESG data

Energy  •  Responsible Investor

Two of Europe’s most powerful national securities regulators say clear rules for ESG data ‘sustainability-related services’ (SRS) are needed to prevent misallocation of investments, greenwashing, and ensure investor protection and rules should be part of the Commission’s sustainable finance strategy.

EU delays sustainable finance disclosure rules

Energy  •  Responsible Investor

In a victory for industry lobbyists, the European Commission confirmed that it will partially delay new disclosure requirements for European asset managers. The rules were to begin to tackle the role of finance in sustainability challenges such as climate breakdown.

UN chief urges leaders to declare ‘climate emergency’

Real Estate  •  Ottawa Citizen

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on every country to declare a “climate emergency” as world leaders marking the fifth anniversary of the Paris climate accord made mostly incremental pledges relative to the scale of the crisis.