Jones Lang LaSalle finished 2011 with 1,067 professionals accredited with LEED and other energy and sustainability designations, exceeding its publicly stated goal to reach 1,000 accredited professionals by the end of 2012.
The firm employed about 650 sustainability accredited professionals in May 2011 and met the goal of adding another 350 accredited staff in just eight months. The 'Accredit 1K' initiative expanded the reach of Jones Lang LaSalle's sustainability accredited professionals to 27 countries across the firm's three geographic regions - Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Americas. In the CEE & SEE region sustainability expertise is now offered by eleven certified professionals, including two LEED Accredited Professionals, one BREEAM Assessor and eight LEED Green Associates.
"The environmental and social impacts of property are rapidly becoming more important to its overall performance, as investors and occupiers alike recognise the importance of sustainability to the long-term viability of their business. A number of industry initiatives have emerged to enable property stakeholders to track this important aspect of environmental asset efficiency in meaningful ways. Sustainability accreditation of Jones Lang LaSalle's employees verifies that we understand the strategies for managing energy, water and other aspects of sustainable development and operations," said Pawe³ Warda, Head of Project and Development Services CEE & SEE, LEED AP at Jones Lang LaSalle.
A majority of accreditations held by Jones Lang LaSalle are for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), including LEED Accredited Professionals as well as the new LEED Green Associate designation. Other energy and sustainability professional accreditations include: AIEMA (Associate for the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment), BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method), CBCP (Certified Building Commissioning Professional), CEM (Certified Energy Manager), DCEP (Data Center Energy Practitioner), Green Globes / Go Green Plus, GMM (Green Mark Manager), Green Star and NABERS.
Virginie de Baere, Director of CEE / SEE Property Management added: "Holistic property performance must include consideration of sustainability. It also emphasises the important role that changing property usage, including the move towards flexible working policies can play in reducing property's exposure to rising energy prices and carbon liabilities. There is a need for robust financial models to systematically factor in complex environmental and economic parameters in the appraisal of value that can be generated from investments in sustainability improvements."
Jones Lang LaSalle professionals have been instrumental in securing energy and sustainability certifications at more than 200 buildings and commercial interiors around the world. The firm has installed or advised on 1,400 MW of wind and biomass energy projects, and in 2010 saved clients $128 million in energy costs, avoiding 563,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions.
Source: JLL
