The new Co-operators head office in Guelph, Ontario has earned Zero Carbon Building – Design Standard certification from the Canada Green Building Council. The building, which is also targeting LEED Gold and WELL Platinum, is under construction and set to open in the summer of 2024.

The all-electric design of the 226,000-square-foot facility will eliminate direct carbon emissions from any onsite source. No retrofits or decarbonization plan will be required as the organization progresses toward its net zero targets.

The design exceeds current code minimums, with 40 per cent greater energy and greenhouse gas savings beyond the Ontario Building Code’s all-electric baseline and 60 per cent heating load reduction that surmounts the code-minimum for new offices.

A 282 kW rooftop solar array will generate about nine per cent of the total annual building energy consumption. Automatic tinting windows will remove glare and further lower consumption.

Other features include a highly insulated and airtight design and high-efficiency water source technology to recover and redistribute heat throughout the building.

Co-operators first became carbon neutral in 2020 and in 2021 announced its target to reach net zero emissions in its operations by 2040. In the interim, by 2030, it aims to reduce its gross operational emissions by 45 per cent through various means such as fleet vehicles and employees commuting and working from home.

“This building is a compelling demonstration of imagination and innovation that will be required as we build for a more sustainable future in Canada,” said Shawn Fitzgerald, vice-president workplace services at Co-operators. “We have an important role to play in mitigating the risks of climate change in a direct and meaningful way, helping move Canada and the world towards a net zero emissions future.”