Jones Lang LaSalle Turns Out Lights in More Than 50 Countries for Earth Hour 2011

All over the world, office buildings managed by Jones Lang LaSalle and LaSalle Investment Management will go dark for an hour on Saturday evening (26th March) in observance of Earth Hour, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) annual campaign to encourage commitment to action on climate change.

At 8:30 p.m. local time in cities around the world, Jones Lang LaSalle and LaSalle Investment Management offices in more than 50 countries will join with hundreds of thousands of other buildings in turning off non-emergency lighting for an hour, effectively darkening skylines around the world.

“Earth Hour is a powerful reminder of the central role that electricity plays in our lives, and the importance of conserving our planet’s resources for future generations,” said Lauralee Martin, Chief Operating and Financial Officer of Jones Lang LaSalle. “We’re proud of the strong show of support by our people across the world—in our offices, the buildings of our clients and the homes of many of our employees.”

“Starting in one city just five years ago, Earth Hour has grown to 4,600 cities and hundreds of millions of people around the world—and Jones Lang LaSalle has been involved from the start,” said Dan Probst, Chairman of Energy and Sustainability Services at Jones Lang LaSalle. “We have seen participation increase among our employees and our clients, as more and more people show their support for this global event.”

In addition to endorsing the campaign through its own 185 offices, Jones Lang LaSalle is partnering with clients in cities and towns around the globe to help them show their support, while thousands of the firm’s employees are preparing to join the campaign in their own homes. Jones Lang LaSalle manages 1.8 billion square feet of commercial property owned by corporations and investors in 60 countries around the world.
Julie Hirigoyen, Head of Energy and Sustainability EMEA at Jones Lang LaSalle, said; “This year, World Wildlife Fund is asking people to “go beyond the hour” with positive action on energy conservation, renewable energy and other environmental concerns, and these are goals that we have embraced as a company”. “In 2010, we helped building owners save 912,000,000 kilowatt-hours of energy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 563,000 metric tons and save $128 million in energy costs. We’re working with clients on renewable energy solutions in several countries, and we continue to work toward reducing our own carbon footprint as well.”