Minto Capital announced that its new purpose-built rental tower, 1235 Marlborough in Oakville, Ontario, is now LEED registered. The 14-storey building comprised of 144 units and state-of-the-art amenities is currently pre-leasing units with occupancy targeted for fall 2018.

“At Minto, we’re focused on building ‘better’, and sustainability has always been a big part of that,” said Ben Mullen, Vice President of Asset Management for Minto Properties. “By continuing to stay ahead with programs such as LEED, we’re creating buildings that are responsible investments. LEED certified buildings are a more valuable asset through reduced operating costs both during construction and throughout the lifetime of the building.”

The LEED program focuses on five key categories: sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, and indoor environmental quality. Designed to achieve LEED certification, 1235 Marlborough will provide utility cost savings to renters, enhanced comfort, health and wellness and reduce the building’s impact on the environment. These features make LEED certified apartment buildings a strong investment that can yield higher rental prices versus non-certified buildings with higher occupancy rates.

Key features of the Minto property include:

• Distributed in-suite heating, cooling and ventilation.
• In-suite HRV filters fresh air from the outside directly into unit.
• In-suite programmable thermostat for enhanced control of heating and cooling.
• Low VOC paints, sealants, and adhesives for improved indoor air quality.
• Enhanced flooring system certified to have reduced VOC emissions.
• Air sealing between units and corridors to reduce sound and odour migration.
• Enhanced energy efficiency – high-performance mechanical equipment, LED lighting and occupancy sensors, programmable thermostats, and more.
• High-performance water fixtures and toilets to reduce consumption and cost of water.
• Individual metering – allowing customers to control utility costs.

1235 Marlborough has now achieved the first step in a three-stage LEED certification process, and anticipates full certification by 2019. To date, The Minto Group has LEED certified over 5,000 residential units in Ontario.