The first phase of 50 stores at the Royalmount project is already open, but there’s much more to come. Montréal developer Immobilier Carbonleo Inc. says ultimately 170 stores will open, many this spring.
It’s part of an ambitious $7 billion plan that includes residences, Class A commercial office towers, an aquarium and a luxury hotel. If all permits are approved, Royalmount would become one the largest mall destinations in Canada.
Equally impressive are the environmental features being promised by the developer that will help achieve Royalmount’s claim as “the first 100 per cent carbon-neutral mixed-use project in Canada.”
Although located in a traffic-heavy district of Montréal, Royalmount’s 824,000 square feet of shops, cafés and restaurants already open are accessible by a covered pedestrian walkway and covered bridge connected to the city’s Métro. Over 40 EV charging stations will be available for those who drive. The project will be linked to Montréal’s cycle path network and will offer over 560 parking spaces for bicycles. Nearly 19,000 trees, shrubs, native Québec plants and perennials will be planted across the site. There will even be bees on the roof.
The main driver towards energy-efficiency is the incorporation of a heat-exchanging energy-loop system that could reduce operational GHG emissions by as much as 93 per cent.
A heat-exchanging energy-loop system is a type of geothermal heat pump that utilizes a ground heat exchanger to move heat between the ground and a building through a system of pipes, or loop, buried in the ground. The loop contains a fluid, usually water or a mixture of water and antifreeze, that absorbs or releases heat from the ground. The exchange transfers heat between the refrigerant in the heat pump and the fluid in the loop. The heat pump moves heat from the ground to the building in the winter and from the building to the ground in the summer.
A heat-exchanging energy-loop system can be used to link several sections within one building, or in this case, to link a number of buildings on the same lot, by allowing the heat removed from one building or zone to become the input for a neighbouring zone.
Although more complex in design than traditional heating systems, a geothermal ground loop can last as long as 50 to 100 years, delivering improved payback and long-term energy efficiency to the project owner.
Immobilier Carbonleo and construction manager Pomerleau have also said more than 80 per cent of the project’s construction waste generated to date has been recycled, and all contaminated soil tracked through to disposal, what they claim is a provincial first.
Furthermore, the project’s water management systems reduce indoor water consumption by 38 per cent and decrease rainwater runoff into municipal sewers by 83 per cent, by diverting it for project irrigation purposes.
The efforts by the developer and builder to deliver a LEED Gold, carbon-neutral mall destination despite the higher upfront costs are part of Royalmount’s marketing strategy.
Andrew Lufty, CEO of Carbonleo, says Royalmount’s location is in an area with five times more university-educated residents than the local average, and within a 20-minute drive of 87 per cent of nearby millionaire households.
The belief that Royalmount’s green initiatives will appeal with this demographic is confirmed by a recent survey co-sponsored by Royalmount of over 1,500 U.S. and Canadian shoppers.
Nearly one third of luxury shoppers cited green spaces as being important to them when shopping, with 67 per cent agreeing stores should meet higher environmental standards.
“It’s clear from this report that luxury players in the industry must continue to invest in physical spaces, and the three pillars around sustainability, inclusivity and connectivity are essential to creating a place where people want to spend their time,” said Lufty. “At Royalmount, years of research and thought have gone into creating a space where people feel happy and fulfilled. It’s not just about transactions but developing a destination that creates connections and an emotional journey.”
John Bleasby is a freelance writer. Send comments and Climate and Construction column ideas to editor@dailycommercialnews.com.
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