Print NowCB Richard Ellis plans to become the first major commercial real estate services firm to go completely carbon neutral, with a target date of 2010, it recently announced. The move is one of several environmentally-minded initiatives recently announced by the firm, which is also creating a new platform to assist clients with energy efficiency programs at the more than 7 billion sf of building space it manages worldwide. Working with the Resources Defense Council, CBRE intends to introduce new energy-saving measures at client-owned and -occupied properties.
The company says the initiative is a response to the growing demand for green facilities from both clients and employees.
“Our decision is driven by our desire to do the right thing but is also a direct result of a rapidly evolving marketplace,” says Brett White, CBRE’s president and CEO, in a statement.CBRE’s goal of carbon neutrality follows similar declarations by large corporations including the Rupert Murdoch-led media conglomerate, News Corp., which last month announced its intent to eliminate all carbon emissions by 2010. In its statement, CBRE officials say the firm intends to achieve its goal through a combination of energy savings, more efficient space utilization and, if necessary, investments in carbon offsets.