October 1, 2008—CB Richard Ellis Group, Inc. (CBRE) has become the first commercial real estate services company to join The Climate Group, the global, independent organization dedicated to accelerating action on climate change.
In May 2007, CBRE announced a commitment to become carbon neutral in its own operations by 2010—making it the first commercial real estate services company to announce such a goal. In addition, CBRE is assisting its clients with energy efficiency programs at much of the 1.9 billion square feet of building space it manages around the world.
To help it achieve this goal, CBRE has established an international task force to aggregate and share best practices on a global basis, develop educational programs for clients and employees, and develop internal policies and business practices.
In the US, CBRE has instituted a wide range of programs for the commercial buildings it manages. These include the mandated adoption of EPA’s Energy Star program, and the adoption and use of the Building Owners and Managers Association’s (BOMA) Building Energy Efficiency Program (BEEP), which teaches commercial real estate professionals how to reduce energy consumption. In 2008 the EPA named CB Richard Ellis an ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year for outstanding energy management and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
Additionally, more than 150 buildings managed by CBRE’s Asset Services Group are undergoing evaluation for inclusion in a pilot portfolio LEED EB program in conjunction with the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). A recent survey by CBRE found that more than two thirds of the buildings it queried are taking proactive steps toward enhancing energy efficiency, reducing water usage, and introducing paper recycling programs. More than 100 of the company’s professionals have received LEED AP accreditation.
In the EMEA (Europe Middle East Africa) region, CBRE has a team of engineers, sustainability consultants, and energy managers dedicated to working with corporate occupiers, investors, and developers to improve their energy performance and meet government policy and environmental legislation.
In the Asia-Pacific region, CBRE has also worked on wide range of energy reduction and sustainability initiatives. These efforts include forming an Environmental Sustainability Network (APESN) to promote best practices; building out CBRE’s new office location in Beijing using renewable materials and maximizing natural daylight and submitting it for LEED certification, and achieving NABERS (Energy Star) ratings for 20 client properties in Australia.
