BentallGreenOak (BGO) received Fitwel Viral Response Certification for 50 of its office and retail assets in Canada, which represents the largest portfolio of commercial real estate properties in Canada to achieve the certification.
BGO’s managed portfolio includes the first buildings to achieve the Fitwel Viral Response Module (VRM) standard, located in Montreal, Winnipeg, Mississauga, Ont., and Gatineau, Que.
“Across Canada, BentallGreenOak’s investment management and real estate management teams have mobilized to deliver the highest standard of best practices and policies to our properties and the tenants who rely on us to enable a safe and healthy return to the workplace,” said Keith Major, managing partner and head of Canadian real estate management for BentallGreenOak. “We are investing in upgrades and adapting to the best science-driven guidance available to us to earn the trust of our tenants and become an active, engaged and empathetic partner in their return to our BGO-managed properties.”
Fitwel’s VRM was developed in coordination with leading public health experts and real estate companies to effectively address the unique challenges associated with COVID-19 pandemic and other infectious respiratory diseases.
The VRM allows building owners, companies, and commercial tenants to demonstrate compliance with evidence-based, cost-effective strategies that mitigate viral transmission and build trust to create healthy and resilient environments for all occupants.
BGO has been on the frontlines of driving property-level progress in confronting the challenges of COVID-19 through the firm’s involvement as an industry advisor and early adopter of these strategies.
“BGO’s continued progress in achieving VRM certification throughout its portfolio demonstrates an unwavering commitment to tenant health and well-being,” said Joanna Frank, president and CEO of the Center for Active Design. “We applaud BGO for understanding the important role property owners have in safeguarding occupant health and cultivating tenant trust.”
