CHICAGO, March 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has named Jones Lang LaSalle 2011 ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year for its leadership in promoting and implementing strategic energy management programs to achieve significant energy and financial savings on behalf of clients, and for its commitment to maximize energy efficiency across its entire operation.

The 2011 Partner of the Year Awards recognize organizations that use energy efficiently in facility operations, integrate superior energy management into overall organizational strategy, and promote the use of ENERGY STAR programs and tools among staff, clients and tenants. This marks the third time that Jones Lang LaSalle has been named ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year.

"Jones Lang LaSalle's robust energy management program is a national model, demonstrating how to fight climate change through energy efficiency," said Elizabeth Craig, Acting Director of EPA's Office of Atmospheric Programs.   "Effective energy management not only helps the bottom line, but it also is our most cost-effective climate strategy."

"ENERGY STAR is the universally recognized method for accurately measuring and comparing energy performance in buildings, at a time when building owners, occupants and investors are increasingly focused on maximizing energy efficiency and reducing carbon emissions associated with excess energy usage," said Peter Belisle, Americas President of Energy and Sustainability Services at Jones Lang LaSalle. "Our participation in ENERGY STAR and promotion of its benefits is a key factor that helped us save $128 million in energy costs and reduce greenhouses gases by 563,000 tons on behalf of clients in 2010."

An ENERGY STAR Partner since 1998, Jones Lang LaSalle was named Partner of the Year for the first time in 2007, again in 2010, and now for the third time in 2011.  The firm's accomplishments in energy management, carbon footprint reduction and industry leadership in promoting strong energy practices will be recognized at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. on April 12.

Key accomplishments that led to Jones Lang LaSalle's selection as 2011 Partner of the Year include:

• Maintaining 100 percent participation in ENERGY STAR across all investor-owned and retail mall properties, and significantly expanding benchmarking activity across corporate client properties.
• Earning the ENERGY STAR for 118 managed properties representing more than 43 million square feet, an increase of more than 25 percent over 2009.
• Reducing energy consumption by 5 percent across a managed portfolio in excess of 150 million square feet.
• Training more than 200 property professionals on energy management best practices and ENERGY STAR resources to ensuring that a strategic approach to energy management is implemented at properties across the country.
• Engaging more than 11,000 employees and clients to take the "Change the World, Start with ENERGY STAR" pledge in 2009 and 2010, potentially resulting in 144 million pounds of avoided greenhouse gas emissions.
• Continuing to promote the value of ENERGY STAR through highly visible project such as the Empire State Building energy retrofit, reinforced by media and social media outreach

"Jones Lang LaSalle's partnership with ENERGY STAR continues to strengthen as more and more people—building owners, tenants, corporate real estate executives and our own employees—recognize the value of measuring energy performance and taking steps to improve it,"  said Dan Probst, Chairman of Energy and Sustainability Services at Jones Lang LaSalle. "All of us have a stake in reducing energy use and carbon emissions, and ENERGY STAR offers strategies we can all follow to work toward that goal—as well as providing report cards on the progress of individual buildings."

In addition to ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year awards, Jones Lang LaSalle has won many of the highest awards relating to superior energy and sustainability practices, including the Leadership Award from the U.S. Green Building Council, the Sustainable Cities award from the Urban Land Institute and the Chairman's Award from the Alliance to Save Energy. Jones Lang LaSalle also maintains a Green Blog that allows its executives around the world to share best practices and other perspectives on energy and sustainability issues. To learn more, please visit www.joneslanglasalle.com/greenblog.

About ENERGY STAR

ENERGY STAR was introduced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 1992 as a voluntary market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants associated with energy use. Today, the ENERGY STAR label can be found on more than 60 kinds of products as well as new homes and buildings offers businesses and consumers energy-efficient solutions to save energy, money and help protect the environment for future generations. Last year alone, Americans, with the help of ENERGY STAR, saved $18 billion on their utility bills and prevented greenhouse gas equivalent to those of 34 million cars. Products, homes and buildings that have earned the ENERGY STAR prevent emissions by meeting strict energy-efficiency specifications set by the EPA.  For more information, go to www.energystar.gov.

About Jones Lang LaSalle

Jones Lang LaSalle (NYSE: JLL) is a financial and professional services firm specializing in real estate. The firm offers integrated services delivered by expert teams worldwide to clients seeking increased value by owning, occupying or investing in real estate. With 2010 global revenue of $2.9 billion, Jones Lang LaSalle serves clients in 60 countries from more than 1,000 locations worldwide, including 185 corporate offices.  The firm is an industry leader in property and corporate facility management services, with a portfolio of approximately 1.8 billion square feet worldwide. LaSalle Investment Management, the company's investment management business, is one of the world's largest and most diverse in real estate with more than $41 billion of assets under management. For further information, please visit our Web site, www.joneslanglasalle.com.

SOURCE Jones Lang LaSalle