An iconic piece of Toronto’s skyline has propelled the BOMA BEST program past 1 billion square feet of certified space. Royal Bank Plaza, a two-tower complex known for its elegant gold-tinted façade and venerable Bay Street address, achieved BOMA BEST platinum status in its recent recertification under the voluntary program for assessing and benchmarking the environmental performance of existing buildings.

The accomplishment is likewise a milestone for BOMA BEST, which is in now in the fourth iteration of its continuous improvement mandate since launching in 2005. Today, the program provides guidance and recognition for building owners/managers across all real estate asset classes in Canada and the United States with separate certification streams for sustainability and digital connectivity.

“We developed BOMA BEST to be a tool for all buildings of all sizes, ages and asset classes,” affirms Benjamin Shinewald, president and chief executive officer of the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) of Canada. “At the forefront, BOMA BEST brings building operations teams together, providing a management tool that ensures both they and their building perform at their optimum.”

Royal Bank Plaza is owned by Pontegadea Canada Inc. and managed by Colliers Real Estate Management Services. Its two towers rise to 41 and 26 storeys, and were completed in 1976 and 1979.

“In many ways, Royal Bank Plaza is representative of the type of building BOMA BEST was designed for,” Shinewald muses.