Yorkdale Shopping Centre Awarded Sustainable Design Award from The International Council of Shopping Centers.

NEW YORK -- The International Council of Shopping Centers, Inc. (ICSC) is pleased to announce that Yorkdale Shopping Centre, Toronto, Ontario, has received its inaugural International Design and Development Award for Sustainable Design. The award was presented to Yorkdale Shopping Centre during ICSC's 30th annual International Design and Development Awards program on Thursday, November 30, 2006 at ICSC's CenterBuild Conference in Phoenix, Ariz.

Yorkdale Shopping Centre, which was redeveloped by Oxford Properties Group, an Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (OMERS) company, received this award due to its ongoing commitment to preserving natural resources, providing energy efficient uses at the centre and for its environmental sensitivities. In addition, Yorkdale Shopping Centre received this award because although located in an urban area, it has increased localized density by infilling and building up as opposed to building out. The centre has also incorporated a number of sustainable design elements into the centre: it is located within close proximity to subway and bus lines, all roof drainage is controlled flow for water conservation, all new exterior wall-mounted fixtures and light standards added to the existing parking deck are dark sky-friendly so as to reflect heat and it uses only low water-flow fixtures, electronic faucets and flush valves to conserve water.

The centre's expansion area includes the use of roof-top units with full outdoor air economizers while existing buildings use a chiller with non-CFC refrigerant. The expansion area also uses a building automation system which turns off equipment, and features electrical systems which fully meet prerequisites of sustainable building designs as promulgated by the Canadian Green Building Council through its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program. The centre also incorporated a recycling program in the expansion project, as well as reused an existing department store shell retrofitted to accommodate various smaller specialty stores.

"There is sound financial and ethical reasons for our industry to get out in front with respect to sustainability and energy efficiency initiatives," said ICSC Chairman and CEO of General Growth Properties, Inc., John Bucksbaum. "The list is long of potential sources of savings and Yorkdale Shopping Centre is an outstanding example of how a centre and an industry can embrace the issue of sustainability, now and in the future. Yorkdale Shopping Centre is truly the benchmark of sustainable design," Bucksbaum added.

Since its inauguration in 1977, the ICSC International Design and Development Awards program has recognized outstanding projects for excellence in the creation of new retail projects, and in the expansion or redevelopment of existing projects, both internationally and domestically. The annual competition is focused on two general categories: Innovative Design and Construction of a New Project and Renovation or Expansion of an Existing Project. In the Innovative Design and Construction of a New Project category, entries must relate to a specific new shopping center, completed and opened within a 24-month period Co July 1, 2003 to June 30, 2005 Co and demonstrate how a specific design or construction problem was solved or how new standards in design and construction were established. In the Renovation or Expansion of an Existing Project category, entries include a project involving an entire shopping center, such as an enclosure, or a single facet of a center, such as an addition. The renovation or expansion must have been completed and the center fully opened for business within a 24-month period Co July 1, 2003 to June 30, 2005.

The competition was open to development officers, corporate marketing directors, architects or other professionals responsible for any shopping center project that demonstrates unusual development or redevelopment characteristics and a high degree of creativity.

Judging is based on a point system: up to five points for presentation of entry materials, up to 10 points for land use, up to 35 points for design including combination of colors, materials and lighting; up to 20 points for achieving overall development goals, up to 20 points for productivity/financial performance, and up to 10 points for innovation. Winners must each earn 85 or more total points. Entries scoring between 75 and 84 points receive Certificates of Merit. Additional "bonus" points are awarded by the judges for entries that demonstrate sustainable initiatives. "The judges gave the maximum score to Yorkdale for sustainability and requested this special award be presented this year," said ICSC Senior Staff Vice President, Professional Development Services, Rudolph E. Milian.

Founded in 1957, the International Council of Shopping Centers is the premier global trade association for the shopping center industry. Its more than 65,000 members in 100 countries include shopping center owners, developers, managers, marketing specialists, investors, retailers, brokers, academics and public officials.