Profile
Putting people first is at the heart of the Concert Properties (Concert) story. In 1989, Concert was founded with a mandate to create assured rental housing. We’ve since grown and diversified – and the Company became a real estate corporation wholly-owned by union and management pension plans representing over 200,000 Canadians.
Today, we develop and manage rental apartments and seniors’ active aging communities; develop condominium homes; develop, acquire and manage commercial properties; and invest in, develop and manage public infrastructure projects across Canada. We also have 10 mixed-use master-planned communities built or under development across Canada. We are deeply invested in improving the lives of the people who live and work in our communities, acknowledging that communities are more than just buildings.
We take pride in ensuring these communities are environmentally and socially sustainable to address climate change and reduce waste while fostering human connection. And our relentless passion for quality means we critically think about every decision, no matter how small. We hold ourselves to firm quality standards that guarantee an unparalleled execution.
We are a proud Canadian company, providing quality employment across the country, and working together with the people we serve to realize our vision—building resilient, inclusive, sustainable communities.
To deliver on this promise, Concert developed a comprehensive Sustainability Framework in 2019 that outlines principles, strategies and concrete actions we will take in order to reach specific and measurable goals.
Accomplishments at the Building Portfolio
- Number of buildings in the portfolio enrolled in GWI: 10 of 10
- GHG Emissions Intensity: 3.55 kgCO₂e/sq ft²/yr
- Total GHG Emissions: 5, 688 tCO₂e/yr
Energy Audit
In 2020 and 2021, our consultants conducted
ASHRAE Level 2 decarbonization audits at most properties in our residential and office portfolio across Canada. Aligning the costs and GHG emission savings of the identified decarbonization projects with the end-of-life replacement schedule of major mechanical equipment was key to developing our sophisticated Decarbonization Roadmap.
Energy and Data Management
In 2020, Concert onboarded a new energy and sustainability data management tool,
Measurabl, which helps us to collect utility data and evaluate the performance of our assets. The complex data analytics tools allow us to make informed decisions about prioritizing projects and properties.
Building Management System (BAS) Upgrade
Concert has added or upgraded existing building management systems in many of its properties. Advanced BAS technology allows us to better control our building systems, improve tenant comfort by providing a more consistent room temperature and monitoring CO2 levels, and decrease energy consumption and GHG emissions. Our latest BAS upgrade project at an office site in Ontario will improve the building’s energy performance by 15 to 20 per cent.
Decarbonization Roadmap
Concert has developed a Decarbonization Roadmap based on our consultants’ analysis of electrification projects. Combining the implementation schedule of each property with the detailed cost and carbon reduction analysis from the decarbonization audits, we have developed a data-based GHG reduction target we are confident we will achieve.
LED Lighting Upgrade
Concert has completed LED lighting upgrades at five of our Toronto residential and Tapestry properties, producing a combined savings of over 700,000 kWh of electricity every year. In addition to reducing the ongoing operating costs for our tenants, LED provides a more consistent lighting source without visible flicker or strobing, which improves tenant comfort.
Smart Buildings using Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Concert is piloting a Smart Buildings/AI project at one of our downtown Toronto office buildings. After the learning phase in which the AI system collects data, the project is expected to save over 255 MWh of energy, cutting our GHG emissions by almost 80 tCO2 per year.
Disclaimer: Profiles presented are based on information provided by participants. Participants’ GHG emissions performance published are based on utility data submitted and converted to GHG emissions. The emission factors applied aligns with the period of energy data reported (2019). The emission factors utilized for the conversion are calculated based on a combination of sources: Government of Canada (National Inventory Report & Canada’s Proposed Greenhouse Gas Quantification Requirements), Government of Ontario (Guide: Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reporting), The Atmospheric Fund (A Clearer View on Ontario’s Emissions – Electricity emissions factors and guidelines) and Enbridge Gas Inc. (Chemical Composition of Natural Gas).
