The Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) has established BOMA BESt (Level 1,2,3,4) as a national environmental recognition and certification program for commercial buildings in Canada. Specific applications are available for office towers, shopping centres, open air retail and light industrial.

We have extensive experience in facilitating the certification process from the initial analysis, to on-site evaluation and preparation of audits and policies, to the full assembly of the application package. We remain on-site to support the Management Team during the verification process.

The components of our Sustainable Waste and Recycling Management Program assist properties in meeting the requirements of BOMA BESt certification.

A Packaging Audit is an examination of the impact of packaging on waste management needs, activities and opportunities. Our Packaging Waste Audit serves to assess and advance your waste diversion initiatives. We also identify additional waste diversion opportunities through waste reduction, reuse and recycling initiatives.

For many years, hazardous materials have been identified in soil, surface water, groundwater and building structures. Most of these contaminants are the result of the evolution of technology without the benefit of chemical regulatory controls. In North America, the cost for clean-up is projected to exceed a trillion dollars; the burden of which is to be borne by the taxpayer and responsible parties. The term "responsible party" is broad and in the final analysis involves the property owner.

Many buildings contain hazardous materials throughout the building structure and other materials typically associated with buildings. These buildings pose a potential health hazard to the building occupants if mismanaged- and possible liability if released from associated structures or functional enclosures. Clearly, their presence devalues a property, and therefore they must be removed using special disposal techniques.

Some hazardous substances have received a great deal of publicity resulting in heightened public concern. These substances include mould, asbestos, fluorescent light bulbs (mercury) and ballasts (PCBs), lead, and polychlorinated biphenyl.

CD SONTER has successfully completed in excess of 500 designated and hazardous substance surveys and abatement projects for a vast array of clients in North America.

Our Waste Audit serves to assess and advance your waste diversion initiatives. We also identify additional waste diversion opportunities through waste reduction, reuse and recycling initiatives.

CD SONTER certifies that our Waste Audit and Waste Reduction Work Plan reports are accepted by the following organizations:

- Ontario Ministry of Environment
- CaGBC LEED Programs
- USGBC LEED Programs
- BOMA Canada (Building Owners & Managers Association)
- ICI on Recycle (Quebec)
- ISO 14001 Environmental Management System
- Zero Waste International Alliance (ZWIA)