Enhance the value of your properties through structured and profitable sustainable certification
We support Quebec owners, managers and organizations in their sustainable building certification efforts to improve building performance, strengthen their attractiveness and structure more responsible operating practices.
A recognized framework for sustainably improving your buildings’ performance
Sustainable building certifications assess a building’s ability to reduce its environmental impact ,while providing a healthy, high-performing, and comfortable indoor environment for its occupants. They are based on recognized frameworks that measure various aspects of the building, such as energy performance, water management, indoor air quality, materials used and operating practices.
For existing buildings, they are also a valuable tool for propertys managers’ operational optimization. They encourage more responsible resource management and the optimization of existing systems to extend the building’s lifespan, while reducing its environmental footprint. The goal is, therefore, to ensure more efficient and sustainable building operation, without necessarily resorting to major transformations.
Implementing certification for an existing building requires collaboration among owners, property managers, technical operators and occupants. Together, they must implement management practices and continuous improvement to achieve the objectives set by the chosen framework. Through this structured approach, certifications help make existing buildings more resilient, meaning better adapted to current and future environmental requirements.
Concrete benefits for your occupants, your asset, and the environment
Implementing a sustainable building certification provides a structured and recognized framework for effectively achieving environmental, economic and social objectives, while improving the overall performance of buildings.
Reduced environmental impact
By measuring and optimizing energy and water consumption as well as resource management practices, certifications help significantly reduce buildings’ environmental footprint and promote more responsible operating practices.
Improved comfort and health
Certification frameworks encourage improvements of indoor air quality, lighting, thermal and acoustic comfort, thereby contributing to the well-being and productivity of occupants.
Long-term savings
Thanks to more efficient systems and resources management, certified buildings can reduce their operating costs, particularly for energy, water, maintenance and upkeep.
Enhanced real estate value
Market-recognized certifications strengthen a building’s environmental credibility, improve its attractiveness to tenants, investors and insurers, while helping to increase its long-term value.
Structured support, from diagnosis to certification
The success of a sustainable building certification process relies on a structured approach aimed at evaluating building performance, implementing targeted improvements and ensuring compliance with the requirements of recognized frameworks such as LEED, BOMA BEST, BCZ, or WELL.
Choosing the framework
Each certification has specific criteria for environmental performance and operation. The initial analysis helps choose the most relevant certification based on the issues of all stakeholders.
Initial building performance diagnosis
An initial diagnosis assesses the building’s current performance against certification requirements. This step helps identify priority improvements and establish a clear action plan.
Team mobilization
Involving managers, technical teams and occupants promotes the adoption of good sustainable development practices and contributes to the success of the initiative.
Optimization of practices and systems
Improvement measures can be implemented to meet the framework’s criteria, including optimizing energy systems, managing resources and enhancing occupant comfort.
Support for the certification process
Preparing documentation and coordinating with the certifying body are key steps to ensure compliance with requirements and facilitate obtaining certification.
Performance monitoring
Regular monitoring of performance indicators helps maintain the results obtained and ensure the sustainability of the certification. Existing building certifications require regular recertification of properties, which demonstrates to all stakeholders that sustainability practices remain optimized at all times.
Recognized frameworks, chosen according to your objectives
LEED: a global standard for sustainable buildings
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification is one of the most recognized building sustainability assessment systems worldwide. It aims to reduce buildings’ environmental footprint, while improving energy performance and the quality of occupants spaces.
- Energy performance and carbon emission reduction
- Efficient water management
- Use of sustainable and responsible materials
- Indoor air quality and occupant comfort
- Waste reduction and sustainable construction site management
- Integrated design promoting environmental innovation
BOMA BEST: a Canadian benchmark for building performance
BOMA BEST (Building Owners and Managers Association Building Environmental Standards) certification assesses the environmental and operational performance of existing buildings in Canada. It helps owners and managers improve building efficiency, while reducing their environmental impact.
- Energy management and operational efficiency
- Reduced water consumption
- Waste management and responsible practices
- Indoor environmental quality for occupants
- Accessibility and occupant well-being
- Building and operational resilience
- Sustainable operation and continuous improvement
Zero Carbon Building (ZCB) Standards: Canada’s new measure of sustainable building innovation
Among the first zero carbon building standards in the world, they are an important tool to support the sustainable building sector’s efforts to decarbonize buildings in Canada.
- Energy efficiency
- Envelope performance
- Reduced embodied carbon
- Net-zero carbon balance
Thanks to low-carbon electricity in Quebec, existing buildings can obtain the certification without major renovations.
Fitwel: occupant health and well-being first and foremost
Fitwel certification promotes occupant well-being, particularly through building infrastructure and operational policies.
- Indoor air quality
- Access to safe drinking water
- Spaces promoting physical activity and mobility
- Thermal and acoustic comfort
- Natural light, visual comfort, and indoor ambiance
- Psychological well-being and stress reduction
WELL: Occupant well-being above all else
Increasingly adopted in offices and living spaces, WELL certification promotes the physical and psychological health of occupants, while improving their daily life quality through design choices, occupant working conditions and healthy operation.
- Indoor air quality
- Access to quality drinking water
- Natural and artificial lighting
- Thermal comfort
- Spaces promoting physical activity
- Healthy eating
- Acoustics
- Mental health and psychological well-being
- Visual comfort and lighting ambiance
Buildings can achieve certification through a wide variety of pathways. The list of requirements is the same for new and existing buildings.
Other labels exist, such as WELL Health Safety (WELL criteria focused on reducing health risk) and WELL Equity (WELL criteria focused on promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion)
E’nergys, a partner to simplify your process
We act as a privileged partner in your sustainable building project, optimizing each phase and offering solutions adapted to your site’s specificities and constraints.
Our services include:
- Tailored support based on the desired certification level and the experience of operational teams
- Energy, water and air quality audits
- Technical support for implementing certification requirements
- Complete preparation of certification files
- Optimization of subsidies, where applicable
- Performance monitoring
Do you want to know which certification is most relevant for your building?
Our experts can help you choose the right framework, assess the gap between your current situation and the target requirements and then structure a realistic, profitable approach tailored to your real estate, ESG and operational objectives.
Q&A
Which certification to choose among LEED, BOMA BEST, BCZ, WELL, or Fitwel?
The right choice primarily depends on your objectives. Some certifications place more emphasis on overall environmental performance, others on the operation of existing buildings, carbon neutrality or occupant well-being. The first step is to choose the most relevant framework based on your building type, ambition level and business priorities.
Is a sustainable building certification relevant for an existing building?
Yes, absolutely. For existing buildings, certification can serve as a structured framework to improve operating practices, optimize existing systems and reduce the environmental footprint without necessarily undergoing major transformations.
What are the main benefits of sustainable building certification?
Certification can help reduce a building’s environmental impact, improve occupant comfort and health, generate long-term operating savings and enhance the attractiveness and value of the real estate asset.
Does certification help increase a building’s value?
Yes. Recognized certifications strengthen a building’s environmental credibility, support ESG initiatives and can improve its attractiveness to tenants, investors, and other stakeholders. They also help better position the asset over time.
Are major renovations required to obtain certification?
Not necessarily. In many cases, especially for existing buildings, a significant part of the process relies on diagnosis, optimization of practices, improvement of operations and documentation structure. The extent of the work depends on the targeted framework and the building’s starting point.
How does a certification process unfold?
The process generally begins with choosing the framework and an initial diagnosis to assess the building’s performance against the targeted requirements. This is followed by team mobilization, optimization of practices and systems, file preparation and performance monitoring necessary for maintenance or recertification.
Can E’nergys support us from start to finish?
Yes. E’nergys can intervene at all stages: strategic support, energy-water-air quality audits, technical support, preparation of the file certification, optimization of subsidies when relevant and performance monitoring.
Are certifications only useful for ESG objectives?
No. They can also serve very concrete real estate management objectives: better operation, cost reduction, improved comfort, structuring of internal practices, rental attractiveness and asset valuation.
Should internal teams be mobilized in the process?
Yes, this is often a success factor. Owners, managers, technical operators and ,sometimes, occupants have a role to play in adopting good practices and implementing the certification process.
Where to start to find out if our building is a good candidate?
The best starting point is an initial diagnosis. It allows the evaluation of the building’s current situation, identifying gaps with the requirements of the targeted framework and building a realistic action plan.