The Toronto-based Tridel Group of Cos. is leading the green construction trend with a number of LEED-certified projects in Canada.

Premier Business Partners:

Cervini Painting Limited Citywide Door & Hardware Inc. Cobell Drywall Ltd. Connolly Marble & Granite Ltd. Harris Rebar Mr. Marble Roman Metal Fabricating Ltd. Toro Aluminum Tri-Krete Ltd.

Toronto-based Tridel Group of Cos. is committed to making all new projects LEED-certified and following its “Naturally Better” program. The program is focused on sustainable building design and performance in construction, property management and corporate stewardship.

The core principles of Naturally Better are energy conservation, environmental sustainability, resource management, health and comfort, and cost-effectiveness.

“The construction industry is one that sees change at a slow pace, but now the growing demand for green buildings has posed rapid changes,” according to Distinction, the company’s marketing magazine.

“It affects all areas, from the initial design and planning stage, to engineering and selection of products and equipment.”

One of the largest residential real estate groups in Canada, Tridel offers development, sales, construction, property management and other real estate-related services. Founded in the 1950s, the company has built 66,500 homes. Its property management division manages 32,000 condominiums, 14,000 rental units, 15 million square feet of residential and commercial rental space and 45,000 acres of land.

“Over the past 70 years, through listening to our customers and responding to their needs, Tridel has become Canada’s leading developer and builder of quality condominiums and homes,” the company says. “We’ve worked very hard to become the industry leader and we’re proud of the quality homes and communities we’ve created.”

Green Effort
Its effort to construct environmentally friendly projects is supported by three years of in-house R&D initiatives. Part of that effort includes integrating traditional construction methods with innovative design, new technology and other creative products. To do that, it has combined the strengths of its suppliers, manufacturers, trades, consultants and other organizations. “Such integration between various agencies has been the most effective way to identify and enhance areas where change is required,” the company says.

“We believe in a fundamental obligation to our customers to improve and perfect the condominium lifestyle – conserving precious resources which save the environment and [their] money,” the company continues.

To meet LEED requirements, the company uses technologies such as heat recovery systems, motion sensors, air tightness measures, spray foam insulation and individual metering in its developments. This year, Tridel is planning eight new projects that will meet LEED requirements. “The R&D department at Tridel looks to constantly push the envelope on evolving the construction industry and moving in the direction of sustainability,” the company says.

For example, Element – a condominium development in downtown Toronto – uses a deep lake water cooling system designed to reduce energy consumption, urban air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. The system, designed by Enwave Energy Corp., pipes in naturally cold water from Lake Ontario to cool the development. It is expected to save up to 75 percent of energy used for air conditioning, the company says.

The Verve, Tridel’s condominium development in downtown Toronto, was the company’s first candidate for LEED certification. The 39-story tower, with a six-story loft building, will begin occupancy in 2008. It features:

• Parking spaces for two hybrid cars and a car-share program
• A central heat-recovery ventilator system and highly efficient heating boilers and air conditioning systems
• Energy efficient compact fluorescent lighting
• Energy Star appliances and water-saving toilets, faucets and showers
• Landscaped rooftop terraces

Other condominium developments registered to receive LEED certification are Accolade, a 34-story condominium building in Toronto; Renaissance in Richmond Hill; Nuvo 2, a 27-story tower in Etobicoke; Ultra Ovation in Mississauga; and Grand Triomphe 2, the final condominium tower in a 25-acre enclave in North York, Ontario.

Tridel was recognized for its environmentally friendly efforts when it received the Green Award from the city of Toronto in 2006. “At every opportunity, we are pursuing certification by the LEED green building rating system,” the company emphasizes.

‘Ahead of His Time’
Jack DelZotto founded Tridel in the 1950s. He moved to Canada in 1927, and after a few years, moved to Toronto and began building single-family homes. The company built its first apartment complex in 1961, which featured two towers with 260 units each and a recreational center with a swimming pool, as well as landscaped grounds.

“Jack was also ahead of his time in a lot of things – construction, customer care and urban living,” the company says. Tridel’s first apartment complex “was the forerunner of the luxury condominium lifestyle that has become the hallmark of every Tridel community.

“Innovation and family values are the principles that guide us every day,” the company continues. “They give us a voice to our commitments that are second nature to us, defining where we came from, who we are and where we’re going. This is our culture. This is who we are, with Jack in heart and mind.”

‘Above and Beyond’
The company says it became an industry leader in condominium development and has sold more units than any other builder in Canada. By employing some of the country’s best designers, planners and construction experts, it has a long history of innovation in construction and design. Most employees are long-term, the company adds. For example, many of its project managers started at Tridel.

“Tridel goes above and beyond the building code and often sets the standard for the condominium industry,” the company says. “[We] ensure that every Tridel building is state-of-the-art and built to meet the needs of those who live in them.”

The company says it became an industry leader by setting high standards and doing what it could to meet them. It works hard to ensure that all the features of a home – “from the hinges on kitchen cupboards, to the thickness and composition of the carpeting underneath” – meet the company’s standards. “For consistency, these quality standards at each building are maintained and managed by a dedicated project management team that is involved in the project from conception to completion,” it says.

Tridel has become a preferred construction company because of its customer service. Building a home is a big responsibility, the company acknowledges, and it takes that responsibility very seriously.

“It is because of that trust every employee of our company understands that there is no finish line when it comes to offering outstanding customer service,” the company says. “Our culture of personalized care is deeply instilled in our employees – people who share this single focus and are inspired to offer great service every time.”

Award-Winning
The company has received many awards for its work. In 2005, Tridel received the TARION Ontario High-Rise Builder of the Year award.

Also, J.D. Power and Associates recently ranked the company the highest in customer satisfaction based on customer service, home/building readiness and price/value equation.

“We have a relentless commitment to provide extraordinary service before, during and after the purchase of a Tridel home,” the company says. “We are constantly reviewing what we do and how we do it, looking for ways to help our homebuilders while at the same time raising the standards of our industry.”

The Greater Toronto Home Builders Association named Tridel 2007 Home Builder of the Year and High-Rise Green Builder of the year.

Also, in 2006, the company won the Gold Award for Organizational Transformation by the Canadian Information Productivity Awards.

“The system allows the staff at Tridel to effectively manage every aspect of each individual home purchase from start to finish, which results in superior customer service for each and every Tridel homebuyer,” the company explains.

Tridel in the Community
The company supports hundreds of charity organizations through its Tridel in the Community initiatives.

“We think it’s important to maintain strong ties to people who have made us so successful,” the company says. “We align ourselves with a realm of organizations that focus on important cultural, social environmental and health concerns and, with them, work to help our children, our seniors, ourselves and our planet.”

Organizations it is involved in include the Canadian Cardiac Rehabilitation Foundation, The Dragon Ball, Older Adult Centre at Square One Shopping Centre, Ontario Nurses’ Association Benevolent Fund and the Children’s Wish Foundation.

“At Tridel, we understand that the same thing to do business-wise is often the right thing to do people-wise,” the company says. “More than material things, it is about giving your time, effort, attention and simple, genuine caring.

“There is an old saying about making sure you leave things better than how you found them,” the company says. “We believe in that.”