CB Richard Ellis plans to become the first major commercial realestate services firm to go completely carbon neutral, with a targetdate of 2010, it recently announced. The move is one of severalenvironmentally-minded initiatives recently announced by the firm,which is also creating a new platform to assist clients with energyefficiency programs at the more than 7 billion sf of building spaceit manages worldwide. Working with the Resources Defense Council,CBRE intends to introduce new energy-saving measures atclient-owned and -occupied properties.

The company says the initiative is a response to the growingdemand for green facilities from both clients and employees.

CBRE's goal of carbon neutrality follows similar declarations bylarge corporations including the Rupert Murdoch-led mediaconglomerate, News Corp., which last month announced its intent toeliminate all carbon emissions by 2010. In its statement, CBREofficials say the firm intends to achieve its goal through acombination of energy savings, more efficient space utilizationand, if necessary, investments in carbon offsets.