CHICAGO-Jones Lang LaSalle plans to increase the number of its employees that have sustainability accreditation, such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and the UK's BRE Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM), says Dan Probst, chairman of the firm's global environmental sustainability board. The company currently has between 100 and 150 accredited professionals, Probst says. The firm plans to increase the number to 200 by the end of this year and to 500 professionals by the end of 2009, he says. JLL has approximately 28,000 employees worldwide.

The firm has seen an "incredible demand from our clients for help in assessing their portfolios, relative to different green building standards, and the desire to help bring those buildings up to standards," Probst says. The firm has created a "Sustainability University" to assist employees and clients in learning about sustainability issues and for the firm's professionals to study for LEED, BREEAM and other accreditations, Probst says. The university offers some web-based classes and content and there have also been classes held in the firm's offices, such as a recent three-day class held in Chicago on LEED assessment of buildings, he says.

The goal and university are part of the firm's global sustainability commitment, Probst says. JLL manages 1.2 billion sf, and acknowledges that buildings are responsible for 40% of energy consumption and carbon emissions, he says.