CB Richard Ellis receives the 2008 U.S. Green Building Council Leadership Award for Organizational Excellence

CB Richard Ellis recently received the 2008 U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) Leadership Award for Organizational Excellence at the 7th annual USGBC Greenbuild International Conference and Expo. The firm was recognized for leadership in environmental corporate responsibility and for significant vision and commitment to the evolution of green building design and construction. The USGBC, a nonprofit membership organization dedicated to sustainable building design and construction, presented awards in 6 categories including community, education, LEED, organizational excellence, research and advocacy. CB Richard Ellis, which shared the award for Organizational Excellence with the American Institute of Architects (AIA), was recognized as the first major real estate services firms to pledge to be carbon neutral by 2010. To help achieve this goal, CB Richard Ellis has established an international task force to develop internal policies and business practices, aggregate best practices on a global basis, and develop educational programs for clients and employees. In the U.S., the firm has instituted a wide range of energy efficiency programs for the commercial buildings it manages; more than 150 buildings currently managed by CBRE are undergoing evaluation for inclusion in a pilot portfolio LEED EB program in conjunction with the USGBC. A recent study by CBRE found that more than two thirds of the buildings it surveyed are taking proactive steps toward enhancing energy efficiency, reducing water usage and introducing paper recycling programs, and more than 100 of the company's professionals have received LEED AP accreditation. CBRE was also recognized for compliance with the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Energy Star program and the adoption of the Building Owners and Managers Association's Building Energy Efficiency Program, an extensive education program that teaches commercial real estate professionals how to reduce energy consumption. Earlier this year, the EPA named CB Richard Ellis an Energy Star Partner of the Year for outstanding energy management and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.