BGIS wins prestigious 2025 BOMA Toronto Pinnacle Innovation Award

In partnership with the Bank of Montreal, Morgan Solar Inc. and Cisco, BGIS has won the prestigious 2025 BOMA Toronto Pinnacle Award in the Innovation category for our Energy Blinds system installed at BMO’s Scarborough Office Complex. The award was presented to BGIS and our partners together on Thursday, May 29th at the BOMA Celebration of Excellence Awards Gala at the Fairmont Royal York in Toronto, ON.

The Pinnacle Awards recognize breakthrough ideas that move commercial real estate forward. At the BMO Scarborough Office Complex, this project delivered a solar energy window blinds system, pairing Morgan Solar Energy Blinds with Cisco’s Power-over-Ethernet microgrid. The result: a smarter, more efficient energy infrastructure and a meaningful step toward net-zero buildings. This first-of-its-kind solar-powered, intelligent blind system enhances energy efficiency and occupant comfort, while generating clean electricity.

Installed in early 2025, the blinds automate glare control and daylight management while generating clean electricity—enhancing workplace comfort, productivity, and sustainability. The system reduces heating and cooling demands. Each blind is algorithmically controlled, adapting to the sun’s position and optimizing energy production.

The blinds are expected to generate up to 50kWh/m² of window/year. The system is projected to deliver a three-year return on investment compared to standard motorized blinds, and enhances workplace resilience by continuing to operate even during grid disruptions.

The project serves as a model for sustainable innovation in commercial real estate. It demonstrates that existing window infrastructure can be transformed into productive energy assets, helping property owners reduce emissions and meet climate targets. As the building sector accounts for a significant portion of Canada’s annual emissions, innovations like Smart Solar Energy Blinds represent a scalable solution for decarbonizing older buildings.

With proven technology and growing interest from stakeholders, BGIS, BMO, and their partners plan to expand the rollout of these intelligent blinds across additional BMO properties, helping drive Canada’s transition to a low-carbon future.

This win is a testament to what happens when partners align around innovation, sustainability, and user-centric design. 

“It has been such an honour to contribute to the development of this market leading technology, and to win the prestigious BOMA Pinnacle Innovation Award alongside our industry partners” said Mike Edwards, Senior Energy Manager, BGIS. “The system has now earned industry recognition and is being adopted by other leading organizations such as Cisco and Global Affairs Canada. I’m excited to continue monitoring the system performance and to uncover new opportunities to support our clients in achieving their net-zero goals.”

“It was great to be a part of the project, exciting to see it come to life, and doubly so to see it recognized. Huge thanks to BGIS, BMO and Cisco for supporting Canadian innovation, the BOMA Toronto Pinnacle Award was the cherry on top.” – Nic Morgan, VP Morgan Solar

BOMA Toronto is a leading organization in the Commercial Real Estate Industry in Canada. The organization strives to help members ensure tenant satisfaction, maximize profits, and enhance asset values for building owners and investors through market intelligence, education, networking, and government advocacy.

Featured in picture from left to right: Brian Whalen (BGIS/BMO), Eugene Murariu (BMO Global Engineering Lead), Justin Cohen (Cisco Innovation Labs Canada), Nikolai Timokhine (BMO Operations), Wayne Cuervo (Cisco Innovation Labs), Robert Shelson (BGIS|Fitze Installer), Nicolas Morgan (Morgan Solar VP Business Development), John Paul Morgan (Morgan Solar Chief Technology Office), Mike Edwards (BGIS/BMO Senior Energy Manager)