Some say that the greenest building is the one that already exists.  There are definitely valid arguments for taking existing properties and retrofitting them to meet green building standards.  Commercial real estate giant, CB Richard Ellis (CBRE), has recently registered 225 buildings with the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED for Existing Building (LEED-EB) certification system.

 

The newly registered buildings represent 57 million square feet of office space owned by more than 55 different investors and corporations.  The project includes properties in 21 different states.  This is a massive undertaking and will greatly increase the availability of green office space here in the United States.  The company’s LEED commitment began two years ago when they pledged to have 100 buildings registered for the new LEED-EB rating system.

 

“When we made our commitment in 2007 there were fewer than 60 buildings in the entire country with LEED EB designation,” said David Pogue, CBRE’s National Director of Sustainability. “The key to our success has been building a strong foundation, by both partnering effectively with our clients and deploying a strong internal certification team with great technical expertise and a genuine passion for enhancing sustainable practices in the buildings we manage.”   Source: Business Wire

 

The EPA has recently recognized CBRE for their sustainability efforts.  The company was named a 2009 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year in March.  This year marks the second year that CBRE has received this recognition.