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| PowerStream Relocates to New Energy-Efficient Head Office
| | 02/06/08 - PowerStream's new corporate head office facility, an energy-efficient building located at 161 Cityview Boulevard in Vaughan, officially opened for business following a four-day process to vacate two other office locations and move the workplace belongings of approximately 200 administrative employees. The 92,000 square foot edifice, which comprises features and systems that are sustainable or help to conserve energy, is being targeted by PowerStream to receive LEED gold certification from the Canada Green Building Council. An application for certification is expected to be submitted by PowerStream sometime in early spring after the installations of a wind turbine and an array of solar panels have been completed.
"Our company vision statement speaks about being innovative and socially responsible," said Peter Meffe, Chair of PowerStream's Board of Directors. "Building a facility that is energy-efficient and environmentally sound is consistent with our efforts over the past three years to educate the public and deliver conservation and sustainability programs to our customers. It is our hope that our new head office will serve as an example to other businesses that may be considering the construction of new facilities in the future."
The need for a new head office facility was first identified in 2004, shortly after predecessor utilities Hydro Vaughan, Markham Hydro and Richmond Hill Hydro merged to create PowerStream. The closure of the Richmond Hill Hydro head office necessitated the relocation of employees from that building to PowerStream's offices in Markham and Vaughan. Similarly, in 2006, following PowerStream's purchase of Aurora Hydro, the closure of that head office also resulted in employees being moved to Markham and Vaughan.
"Imagine what your living environment would be like if your two neighbours sold their homes and then moved into your house," explained Brian Bentz, President and CEO of PowerStream. "It would probably be somewhat similar to the working environment our office employees experienced for several years in buildings which really were not designed to comfortably accommodate the size of our workforce."
Some of the energy-efficient and sustainable systems in place at the building include high-efficiency plumbing fixtures that reduce potable water use by 20 to 30 percent, an adjacent drainage pond which will be accessed for landscape watering thereby eliminating the need for using any potable water for that purpose and occupancy sensors to control lights. Also, the glass windows are filled with argon gas to add insulating value so heat is not lost during the winter and a titanium reflective coating can be found on the inside of the glass to reflect ultra violet rays to help keep the building cool during the summer.
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