Sun Life Building makes history on its 100th anniversary earning the first ever BOMA BEST Platinum certification for a centennial building in North America

MONTRÉAL, (April 19, 2018) – The Sun Life Building has earned BOMA BEST Platinum certification, the highest distinction awarded to buildings for outstanding environmental performance and management.  Currently in its 100^th year of operation, the Sun Life Building, owned by Sun Life Financial and a consortium led by Groupe Petra, becomes the first centennial building in North America to earn this certification.

“This historic recognition highlights the exceptional work carried out by the Bentall Kennedy property management team and all tenants within the building to reduce energy consumption and waste,” said Robert Dumas, President and Chief Executive Officer, Sun Life Financial Quebec. “Receiving the BOMA BEST Platinum certification is a testament to the common vision that we all share to making sustainability a strong part of this important building’s future heritage.”   

“Groupe Petra is honoured to be part of the team that has made history by earning BOMA BEST Platinum certification for a centennial building—a North American first,” noted Patrice Bourbonnais, Assistant to the President of Group Petra. “This recognition is proof positive that heritage buildings can be green and sustainable when committed stakeholders work together. We would like to thank our partners, Bentall Kennedy and Sun Life Financial, for going above and beyond to achieve top environmental performance.”

Bentall Kennedy’s ForeverGreen tenant engagement program focuses on energy efficiency and reducing carbon emissions, waste diversion, water conservation and maintaining a healthy work environment in the properties managed by the company. The program contributed to the recent success of the Sun Life Building at the BOMA Canada National Awards, with the property being named Building of the Year in the Historic Building Category for 2017. 

“The success of our sustainability program at the Sun Life Building draws on the strength of our belief that the business of managing this property is better served when we focus on improving its environmental performance,” said Yves-Andre Godon, Senior Vice President, Montreal region for Bentall Kennedy. “We have combined a practical, data-driven approach to sustainability with a deep respect for the heritage of this centennial Building and its historic significance to Montreal.”

Constructed in a neoclassic style between 1914 and 1933, the Sun Life Building stands approximately 400 feet tall and comprises 26 stories that offer more than one million square feet of surface area.

About Sun Life Financial

Sun Life Financial is a leading international financial services organization providing insurance, wealth and asset management solutions to individual and corporate Clients. Sun Life Financial has operations in a number of markets worldwide, including Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, India, China, Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia and Bermuda. As of December 31, 2017, Sun Life Financial had total assets under management ("AUM") of $975 billion. For more information, please visit www.sunlife.com

Sun Life Financial Inc. trades on the Toronto (TSX), New York (NYSE) and Philippine (PSE) stock exchanges under the ticker symbol SLF.

Note to editors: All figures in Canadian dollars unless otherwise noted.

About Groupe Petra

Groupe Petra is a private management firm with over 30 years’ experience in the real estate sector. The group provides comprehensive services ranging from construction and maintenance to leasing and fitting out for a large portfolio of office, commercial and industrial lease properties. Concentrated in Montreal, Toronto, and Quebec City, Groupe Petra’s holdings total 8.3 million square feet.

About Bentall Kennedy

Bentall Kennedy, a Sun Life Investment Management company, is one of the largest global real estate investment advisors and one of North America's foremost providers of real estate services. Bentall Kennedy serves the interests of more than 550 institutional clients with expertise in office, retail, industrial and multi-residential assets throughout Canada and the U.S. Bentall Kennedy's Investment Management group has approximately $47 billion (CAD)/$37 billion (USD) of assets under management (as of Dec. 31, 2017). Bentall Kennedy is one of the largest real estate services providers in Canada, managing 60 million square feet on behalf of third-party and investment management clients (as of Dec. 31, 2017). Bentall Kennedy is a member of UN PRI and a recognized Responsible Property Investing leader ranked among the top firms around the globe in the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB) for the seventh consecutive year since GRESB was launched.

Bentall Kennedy includes Bentall Kennedy (Canada) Limited Partnership, Bentall Kennedy (U.S.) Limited Partnership and the real estate and commercial mortgage investment groups of certain of their affiliates, all of which comprise a team of real estate professionals spanning multiple legal entities. The assets under management shown above include real estate equity and mortgage investments of the companies within Bentall Kennedy.

For more information, visit www.bentallkennedy.com

Media Relations Contact:

Rahim Ladha
Vice President, Corporate Communications
Bentall Kennedy Group
T: 416-986-9027
E: rladha@bentallkennedy.com

Annie Martin
Senior Consultant, Public Relations
Marketing and Communications, Québec
514-904-9757
annie.martin@sunlife.com