How these 2025 TOBY winners are raising the bar in CRE
The 2025 BOMA TOBY Awards have once again proven that sustainability and tenant engagement are not just buzzwords, they're the driving forces behind award-winning properties. This year's winners and nominees include several forward-thinking organizations that have partnered with Alvéole to create thriving urban ecosystems through beekeeping programs.
Bottom line: Properties that prioritize biodiversity, tenant engagement, and ESG initiatives are leading the pack in operational excellence and the TOBY Awards are taking notice.
Winners that are leading the charge in sustainable excellence
100 First St, San Francisco | Corporate Facility Category
Owner: Kilroy Realty Corporation - View Building
Kilroy Realty Corporation has established itself as a pioneer in carbon-neutral operations, becoming one of the first North American REITs to achieve this milestone. Their focus on tenant engagement through innovation aligns perfectly with their portfolio of innovation-focused tenants.
The company's dedication to biodiversity enhancement through rooftop beehive installations demonstrates how sustainable practices can create meaningful connections between buildings and their communities.
Gateway Commerce Park, Miami | Industrial Category
Owner: EastGroup Properties - View Building
EastGroup Properties continues to integrate sustainable design features across its development portfolio, emphasizing resource conservation and enhanced workplace environments. Their commitment to diversity and inclusion, coupled with formal learning programs for all employees, reflects a holistic approach to ESG that extends beyond environmental considerations.
24 E Washington, Chicago | Historical Category
Owner: Brookfield Properties - View Building
Brookfield Properties leads with a bold commitment to be Net Zero by 2050 or sooner, driven by innovative technology and waste reduction initiatives. Their partnership with Alveole exemplifies this commitment. Brookfield has installed 37 beehives across 19 properties, conducting 29 workshops throughout 2022 to educate tenants about biodiversity and pollinator importance, engaging over 350 people in their communities.
1015 Lake Shore Boulevard E, Toronto | Retail - Open Air/Strip Mall Category
Owner: CT REIT - View Building Photos
CT REIT has made significant strides in sustainable development, completing their first net zero energy and carbon project, a 350,000 square foot distribution centre certified to Canada Green Building Council's Zero Carbon Building Design Standard. Their 2025 TOBY Award recognition highlights how Canadian properties are setting new standards for sustainable retail development.
Northland Center, Bloomington | Suburban Office Park - Midrise Category
Owner: KBS Realty Advisors - View Building
This recognition reinforces the importance of sustainable practices across different property types and geographic regions, demonstrating that excellence in building management transcends traditional boundaries.
Renfrew Business Center, Vancouver | 100-250K sq ft Category
Owner: Renfrew Properties + AIMco - View Building
Vancouver's recognition in this category showcases how smaller-scale developments can achieve the same level of operational excellence as their larger counterparts, particularly when sustainability and tenant engagement are prioritized.
Notable nominees driving innovation across markets
The 2025 TOBY nominees who partner with Alveole represent a diverse array of property types and innovative approaches to sustainability:
RBC Gateway, Minneapolis | Mixed-Use Category
Owner: Spear Street Capital - View Building
This Minneapolis landmark demonstrates how mixed-use properties can leverage sustainability initiatives to create value across multiple tenant types and usage patterns.
222 Berkeley / 500 Boylston, Boston | Over 1 Million Square Feet Category
Owner: Oxford Properties - View Building
Oxford Properties has earned recognition as one of Fast Company's World's Most Innovative Companies for their approach to sustainable leadership, with industry-leading targets and transparent reporting. Their commitment to ESG initiatives across teams and asset life cycles demonstrates how sustainability creates value in projects, portfolios, and business operations.
NBC Tower, Chicago | 500K-1 Million Square Feet Category
Owner: Metropolis Investment Holdings Inc. - View Building
Chicago's inclusion across multiple categories reinforces the city's position as a leader in sustainable commercial real estate practices.
How Alvéole helps award-winning buildings blend biodiversity with business value
What sets these properties apart is their recognition that ESG efforts can drive both impact and long-term value. By partnering with Alvéole, they’ve shown that urban beekeeping can support green certifications while strengthening tenant engagement and urban biodiversity.
These programs help buildings:
- Improve tenant engagement through workshops and team-building
- Support pollinators and biodiversity in dense urban areas
- Contribute to ESG goals with LEED, BREEAM, and BOMA BEST credits
- Foster community across tenants and properties
The future of sustainable real estate
The 2025 TOBY Awards make one thing clear: properties that prioritize sustainability, tenant engagement, and community impact are not just doing good, they're doing exceptionally well.
As Kilroy's Sara Neff notes, "We're not going to get to our carbon goals just through lighting retrofits: we're going to have to get creative".
These award-winning properties prove that creative sustainability efforts like urban beekeeping and ESG programs are becoming the new standard for excellence in real estate.
Ready to join the ranks of award-winning properties? Discover how Alveole's urban beekeeping programs can help your property achieve sustainability goals while fostering the kind of tenant engagement that TOBY Award judges recognize as excellence in action.
