Hawaii Firm Takes on Nationwide Role in Advancing Sustainable Building Operations

HONOLULU (Jan. 23, 2008) -- Chelsea Group, Ltd. has reached an agreement to provide the technology and services to assess, improve and certify buildings managed by CB Richard Ellis (CBRE) in Hawaii and throughout the U.S. under the benchmarks of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Existing Buildings (LEED-EB). LEED-certified buildings offer high-quality indoor environments, minimize waste to sewer and landfill, and use water and energy efficiently.

Chelsea Group has developed online tools for the rapid assessment of key sustainability factors that assist property owners in determining the best strategy to make their portfolio of buildings more sustainable and to achieve LEED-EB certification. In addition, Chelsea Group brings the consulting services necessary to take each building to its optimum performance and LEED-EB certification level. CBRE is the world’s largest commercial real estate services firm with five offices in Hawaii. CBRE manages more than 1.6 billion square feet of commercial properties and corporate facilities worldwide, including approximately 9 million sq. ft. in Hawaii.

The CBRE agreement comes on the heels of landmark sustainability projects with Morgan Stanley for its properties across the United States, as well as with A&B Properties, Inc. (the real property subsidiary of Alexander & Baldwin, Inc. (NASDAQ: ALEX) for A&B’s entire portfolio of 47 Hawai’i and mainland properties, of which 19 are managed by CBRE. The first properties in those portfolios are already moving toward registration and certification under the USGBC LEED-EB program.

“Our experience in LEED certification has taught us that the process is long and complex. By simplifying the process with online tools, Chelsea Group has been able to offer CBRE a cost-effective way to assist its clients in moving through the process,” said George Benda, CEO of Chelsea Group. “That will save money that CBRE clients can invest in further physical improvements that will enhance the sustainability of their properties,” he added.

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Backgrounder on Sustainability and LEED

About Sustainability
Sustainability is the process of aligning human activity with what the environment requires for perpetuation of life on earth. It touches all aspects of human life, the reduction of waste released to the air and water, or buried in the land, that will allow our planet to constantly renew itself and feed, clothe, and shelter us. Making buildings more sustainable brings an improvement in the efficiency of use of natural resources. The result is a better economic performance for each building and a lesser impact on the earth.

About USGBC
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is a nonprofit composed of leaders from every sector of the building industry working to promote buildings that are environmentally responsible, profitable and healthy places to live and work. Our more than 10,000 member organizations and our network of 75 regional chapters are united to advance our mission of transforming the building industry to sustainability. Hawaii is home to an active USGBC chapter.

What is LEED
The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings. LEED gives building owners and operators the tools they need to have an immediate and measurable impact on their buildings’ performance. It promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality.

LEED provides a roadmap for measuring and documenting success for every building type and phase of a building lifecycle. Specific LEED programs include:
• New Commercial Construction and Major Renovation projects
• Existing Building Operations and Maintenance
• Commercial Interiors projects
• Core and Shell Development projects
• Homes
• Neighborhood Development
• Guidelines for Multiple Buildings and On-Campus Building Projects
• LEED for Schools
• LEED for Retail

LEED for Existing Buildings
LEED for Existing Buildings maximizes operational efficiency while minimizing environmental impacts. It provides a recognized, performance-based benchmark for building owners and operators to measure operations, improvements and maintenance on a consistent scale. LEED for Existing Buildings is a road map for delivering economically profitable, environmentally responsible, healthy, productive places to live and work.

The LEED Rating System for Existing Buildings addresses:
• energy efficiency
• water efficiency
• whole-building cleaning and maintenance issues including chemical use
• recycling programs and facilities
• exterior maintenance programs
• indoor air quality

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Communications Pacific
Topa Financial Center
Fort Street Tower, Penthouse
745 Fort Street
Honolulu, HI, 96813
U.S.A.

(+1) 808-543-3585
jlewis@commpac.com

Chelsea Group, Ltd. is a building sciences consulting firm based in Maunaloa, Hawaii, with operations in Honolulu, Chicago and Phoenix. The company provides building science consulting services, including engineering, architectural and industrial hygiene expertise, to the owners of commercial and institutional buildings. Chelsea Group assists its clients with improvement programs that put them on the path to sustainability reflected in awards such as U.S. EPA Energy Star and LEED certification. Web site: www.chelsea-grp.com.

This release was published on openPR.