A New Standard of Condominium Excellence
Leading by example requires an extraordinary commitment to do the right thing, even though the journey is challenging, and the outcome is not guaranteed.
For the Molinaro Group, their culture of leadership was duly recognized, at a roof top party held recently at Illumina, where the Burlington condominium received its well-deserved ENERGY STAR® Multifamily High-Rise (New Construction) certification.
“Receiving ENERGY STAR certification for Illumina is a testament to our ongoing commitment to sustainability and energy efficiency,” said Vince Molinaro, President, Molinaro Group. “And the achievement is truly impressive given this is a 21-storey, luxury condo being certified. That is a first.”
“We understand the importance of reducing our carbon footprint and creating environmentally friendly living spaces. This certification reinforces our belief that the steps we’ve taken toward a greener future are steps in the right direction,” he said.
From the beginning, Illumina was designed to be a winner. The condominium boasts a prime location near Spencer Smith Park in Burlington’s Downtown West neighbourhood, resulting in breathtaking sightlines and convenient access to the city’s amenities. It also offers beautifully designed suites, luxurious amenities, and spacious private outdoor terraces or balconies.
By earning ENERGY STAR certification, Illumina demonstrates the value of exceptional energy performance, superior comfort, and enhanced durability, setting a high standard for residential developments in Burlington and beyond.
Moreover, Illumina’s certification is one of many accolades the Molinaro Group has garnered for its forward-thinking condominiums. Of note is the LEED Silver Certification awarded to their Paradigm Phase One condo in Midtown Burlington.
“Creating environmentally sustainable buildings is not new to us,” said Robert Molinaro, Executive Vice President, Molinaro Group. “We’ve been including these design and construction features in our condos for years. It just makes sense.”
How Do we Build More ENERGY STAR Certified Condos?
Illumina is one of the first buildings of its kind in Canada to be awarded the certification for new construction. Which begs the question: Why aren’t more high-rise condos being certified?
Condo Buyers Want Higher Energy Efficiency
“For our customers, ENERGY STAR means lower hydro bills,” said Robert Molinaro, Executive Vice President, Molinaro Group. “In the end, we’re helping the environment, and residents are paying less at the same time.”
Many people have seen ENERGY STAR labels on certified products, such as thermostats, refrigerators, and air conditioners. These and other products use less energy and are more environmentally friendly than comparable non-certified products.
ENERGY STAR certification also means greater comfort for residents. with temperature and humidity maintained across every room for year-long comfort.
See Vince Molinaro’s earlier announcement here.
What Does ENERGY STAR Certification Require?
To become ENERGY STAR certified, individual units in a new multi-family building must meet the program’s strict guidelines for energy efficiency.
The unit and building must also go through a rigorous process of third-party testing and verification to ensure the building, and its suites provide the requisite level of quality and comfort.
ENERGY STAR certification for multi-unit or multifamily buildings, like Illumina, must be designed and then verified to be at least 15% more energy efficient than residences built to code and to meet other program requirements.
This requires more than installing energy-efficient appliances and equipment. Buildings require an integrated approach to design, as well best practices for construction. Third-party inspections and testing also ensure the buildings perform as designed. This means reduced energy costs and lower utility bills.
The program assists builders and developers in constructing more energy efficient buildings, supporting private sector investment in high-performance buildings, increasing comfort for residents, lowering operating costs for owners, and reducing emissions for all.
How Did Illumina Achieve Certification?
Every Illumina unit comes equipped with ENERGY STAR certified appliances, including refrigerators, electric slide-in ranges, range hood fans, front load washers and dryers. Energy-efficient lighting fixtures are also installed throughout the building and in all units.
Molinaro Group, with the guidance of SRS Consulting Group, took steps to meet or exceed the ENERGY STAR program’s requirements for energy efficiency. The building passed strict air tightness tests and met the HVAC and mechanical commissioning and benchmarking requirements, too. Illumina’s energy efficient, double-glazed floor to ceiling windows provide higher R-values in insulation.
The building envelope is essentially airtight, which reduces heat loss and lowers heating costs. Low-flow plumbing fixtures and other water-saving measures also reduce overall water usage, which benefits building residents and the environment.
The certification process was completed in partnership with enerQUALITY, who provided assurance of the ENERGY STAR Multifamily submission, and worked with Natural Resources Canada to finalize the review and approval.
“EnerQUALITY is proud to have supported the Molinaro Group as they successfully completed the Illumina building. Achieving certification to the ENERGY STAR for Multifamily High-Rise [New Construction] standard enhances ESG reporting and supports the condo building industry’s efforts to build toward net zero,” said Rose Benedetto, Managing Director, EnerQUALITY.
The Honourable Karina Gould, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Member of Parliament for Burlington had this to say:
“Energy efficiency means cost savings for Canadians. At a time when we are facing challenges with affordability and climate change, the federal government is meeting Canadians where they are at by exploring innovative ways to build more energy-efficient homes whose heating and cooling bills won’t break the bank. I am thrilled that through the Molinaro project, Burlington is home to the second ENERGY STAR Multifamily High Rise certified project in the country–and I am pleased that through this project, 162 beautiful new units in Burlington will allow families to save money and save energy.”
Ongoing Effort to Help Maintain Energy Efficiency
Of ongoing relevance is the Molinaro Group’s decision to track energy and water consumption.
Molinaro Group will employ ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager® to benchmark Illumina’s energy and water consumption against similar buildings and track past consumption. This is also part of proper building management, part of the high standards.
“It’s been a real journey,” says Vince. “But worthwhile goals require significant effort. And we have lots of experience bringing innovative ideas to our condos that reduce their environmental impact.” Watch video here.
A Better Future
This accomplishment by the Molinaro Group underscores the Group’s commitment to create healthier, more sustainable living spaces while helping our clients reduce energy costs and carbon footprints.
The Molinaro Group extends its gratitude to everyone involved in making this milestone possible, including our staff, our buyers, and our partners. Together, we are driving positive change and creating a more sustainable future for generations to come.
BACKGROUND SUMMARIES
About Molinaro Group
For over 60 years, creating better developments has always offered the Molinaro Group the opportunity to build a better future for Burlington. By consistently creating and delivering premium quality projects, we set the standard for intelligent, respectful, and high value real estate that enhances the already enviable lifestyle Burlington has to offer.
Aside from the bricks and mortar, the Molinaro Family has contributed to the success of Burlington through charitable efforts and, at every opportunity, speaking as advocates for the city our family has helped build for over 55 years.
The company has achieved its goal of meeting the certification program’s strict energy use targets, adding another lofty achievement to its growing list of accolades and awards.
About enerQUALITY
For over 25 years, enerQUALITY has led the way in market transformation and capacity building, advancing the industry in constructing energy-efficient homes. Having certified more than 120,000 homes across the province through respected programs like ENERGY STAR, Net Zero for Homes, and the EnerGuide Rating System, enerQUALITY continues to set industry standards.
enerQUALITY, Canada’s leading certifier of voluntary energy-efficient homes in Ontario, has been advancing the construction of sustainable, high-performance homes for over 25 years. Having certified more than 120,000 homes through industry-respected programs like ENERGY STAR, Net Zero for Homes, and the EnerGuide Rating System, enerQUALITY continues to set the benchmark for building standards.
Founded in 1998 by the Ontario Home Builders’ Association (OHBA) and the Canadian Energy Efficiency Alliance (CEEA), enerQUALITY drives market-based innovation by partnering with government, manufacturers, utilities, and industry professionals. Now fully owned by OHBA, enerQUALITY is further expanding its focus on high-quality training to meet the evolving needs of Ontario’s residential construction and renovation sectors.
In 2005, enerQUALITY joined forces with Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) to bring ENERGY STAR for New Homes to Canada. The results are in: we created the most successful energy efficiency program in Canadian housing, proving that government and industry can do great things together. Our education, training, technology demonstration and workforce development programs assist individuals and companies across the home building industry to build better homes.
About Natural Resources Canada (NRCan)
Natural Resources Canada develops policies and programs that enhance the contribution of the natural resources sector to the economy, improve the quality of life for all Canadians and conducts innovative science in facilities across Canada to generate ideas and transfer technologies. NRCan also represents Canada at the international level to meet the country’s global commitments related to the sustainable development of natural resources.
About ENERGY STAR Canada
ENERGY STAR Canada is a voluntary partnership between the Government of Canada and more than 1,500 organizations working to use our natural resources more wisely through greater energy efficiency. Behind every ENERGY STAR label is a product, home, building or industrial facility that is independently certified to use less energy and produce fewer emissions that contribute to climate change. ENERGY STAR Canada is administered and promoted by Natural Resources Canada.
For more information about Natural Resources Canada’s ENERGY STAR Multifamily High-Rise Pilot Program for New Construction, visit the following websites:
- ENERGY STAR Multifamily High-Rise Pilot Program
https://natural-resources.canada.ca/energy-efficiency/buildings/new-buildings/energy-starr-multifamily-high-rise-pilot-program/21966
Registry of certified buildings under the ENERGY STAR Multifamily High-Rise Pilot Program [New Construction]
https://natural-resources.canada.ca/energy-efficiency/buildings/new-buildings/energy-starr-multifamily-high-rise-pilot-program/registry-certified-buildings-under-the-energy-starr-multifamily-high-rise-pilot-progr/26239