TORONTO - November 30, 2009 - ESRI Canada, which provides enterprise geographic information system (GIS) solutions, today announced its green roof has received an honourable mention at Canada's prestigious 2009 Design Exchange Awards. A jury of leading business executives, designers and community leaders selected the roof garden as one of the winners in the landscape architecture category.

"For years, we have been helping thousands of customers make better environmental decisions through our products and services," said Alex Miller, President, ESRI Canada. "We strive to reflect sustainability in our own operations. With this project, we wanted to show that a green roof is affordable, viable and achievable. We're exceptionally proud that our efforts have been recognized by our peers in business, government and industry."

The project was initiated in 2007 and designed in conjunction with Scott Torrance Landscape Architect Inc. The 704-square metre area was designed such that each room in the offices looks out to a specific section of the green roof, extending the interior space. The project was completed in June 2009 and has transformed the offices' paved terrace from grey concrete to lush green landscape that complements the surrounding urban architecture.

The roof helps reduce the urban heat effect and provides useable green space and an enhanced environment for staff and visitors. It also provides year-round plant interest and features more than 50 plant species including sedums, grasses, evergreen, flowering plants, shrubs and trees. It uses environment-friendly materials and plants obtained from local nurseries, and was built using modular trays that can be removed and relocated, making the rooftop garden portable.

"While we encountered several challenges in pursuing this project, we're glad that we persevered and completed our green roof. It delivers significant benefits to the environment and is also an excellent backdrop for showcasing how our solutions can make a positive impact," said Miller.

The Design Exchange Awards is a national competition that promotes Canadian design excellence and recognizes the critical role of design in all types of organizations. Award entries were evaluated based on the function, profitability, aesthetics, innovation, accessibility and sustainability of their design. The design awards were held on November 24, 2009 at the Design Exchange in Toronto. The winners are displayed in an exhibition at the Design Exchange from November 25, 2009 to February 21, 2010.

(See also: ESRI Canada Strengthens Its Commitment to the Environment with New Green Roof)

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About ESRI Canada
Founded in 1984, ESRI Canada provides enterprise geographic information system (GIS) solutions that empower businesses, governments, and educational institutions to make timely, informed and mission-critical decisions by leveraging the power of geography. The company distributes the world's leading GIS software from ESRI, Telvent Miner & Miner, Azteca Systems and other technology partners. Headquartered in Toronto, the company serves over 10,000 customers from 16 regional offices across Canada. Information about ESRI Canada can be found at www.esricanada.com.

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