SOURCE: Urban Land Institute

June 16, 2008 11:00 ET

Nine Global Winners Chosen for 2008 Urban Land Institute Financial Times Sustainable Cities Awards

LONDON--(Marketwire - June 16, 2008) - Nine outstanding programs from organizations around the world representing both the public and private sectors have been selected as winners in the first annual Sustainable Cities Awards program, sponsored jointly by the Financial Times and the Urban Land Institute (ULI). The award winners were announced today in conjunction with a Financial Times ULI Sustainable Cities conference being held in London.

The Sustainable Cities Awards honor global examples of ongoing programs that exhibit new ideas and perspectives for best practices in sustainable land use. Each of the winners is incorporating initiatives that are making a significant contribution in highlighting the concept of sustainability in real estate. The nine were selected from 18 finalists chosen from a field of 86 entries submitted from 15 countries.

The winners were announced by Awards Jury Chairman Reinhard Kutscher, chairman of the management board, Union Investment Real Estate AG, Hamburg, Germany. "The best way to assess sustainability is from the three angles of economic, social and environmental well-being," Kutscher said. "Those we honor today are leading positive change in sustainable land use. They are at the forefront of design and development techniques that are land efficient and energy efficient."

The 2008 Sustainable Cities Award winners are:

--  The Cascade Land Conservancy for "The Cascade Agenda" -- The Cascade
    Agenda is a 100-year visioning exercise to preserve more than 1.3 million
    acres (526,000 hectares) of forest and farmland by utilizing market-based
    tools to incentivize smart growth practices across  the Puget Sound region
    of Washington state. The jury felt this program exhibits a sophisticated
    understanding about sustainability issues, and one that is already changing
    behavior in the region.
    
--  The City of Chicago -- The city of Chicago leads all cities in
    incorporating preservation and sustainability practices into its own
    operations and in the delivery of services to its constituents. The jury
    was impressed with the comprehensiveness of Chicago's involvement in green
    practices; how integrated they were with city ordinances, and the size and
    scale of its influence.
    
--  The City of Greensburg, Kansas -- Ninety percent of the building stock
    of Greensburg, Kansas, a farming town with a population 1,389, was
    destroyed by a tornado in 2007. Instead of rebuilding the past, the
    citizens of Greenburg voted to rebuild for a sustainable future. The jury
    believed that Greensburg's model for the reconstruction of rural
    communities after natural disasters is applicable globally and should be
    applauded.
    
--  Enterprise Community Partners for "Green Communities" -- Since 2004,
    the Enterprise Green Communities program has invested more than $570
    million to create more than 11,000 green affordable units across one-
    hundred U.S. cities. The jury believed that Enterprise Community Partners
    exhibited the highest level of expertise in their leadership, as the
    program moves people away from the ethos of bigger is better.
    
--  Jones Lang LaSalle for "Portfolio Sustainability Management Program" --
    Jones Lang LaSalle, with more than 1.2 billion square feet (111 square
    kilometers) under management and billions more owned or leased by clients
    that the firm advises worldwide, is setting influential standards for its
    own portfolio and those of its clients. JLL's expansive reach is peerless
    and its portfolio management program has permeated its corporate culture.
    
--  Kennedy Associates for "Responsible Property Investing" -- Kennedy
    Associates believes that buildings developed and managed according to
    sustainability principles possess a competitive advantage over traditional
    structures, and it applies this commitment across its entire $9.6 billion
    portfolio. Kennedy targets LEED-Silver certification for all development
    projects, as well as Energy Star benchmarking for all existing buildings.
    Kennedy Associates has integrated this strategy into everything the firm
    does, not just in real estate, but also in its social agenda.
    
--  New Songdo City Master Plan, master planned by Kohn Pedersen Fox and
    developed by Gale International with POSCO E&C -- The master plan for this
    new city in South Korea is complete, and construction is underway. This
    private-enterprise plan is a pilot project in LEED's Neighborhood
    Development program, with a strong emphasis on carbon-use reduction. For
    the jury, the master plan reflects a strategy that applies state-of-the-art
    green practices in urban design, engineering, construction, infrastructure
    and energy systems.
    
--  PNC for "Greening PNC" -- PNC has led all U.S. companies in LEED
    certifications since 2000, when its corporate headquarters was the first
    financial building to be LEED certified. PNC has incorporated this
    commitment into a corporate policy that now includes 41 "Green Branch"
    locations. The jury noted PNC's long-standing leadership in the
    sustainability field, and the company's influence on its supply chain.
    
--  Vulcan for "Creating a New Model for Sustainable, Mixed-Use Urban
    Communities" -- Vulcan's strategic approach to the redevelopment of 60
    acres (24 hectares) it owns in Seattle's South Lake Union neighborhood has
    revitalized the formerly industrial district, attracting new employers and
    creative-class tenants. The jury commended the real estate organization for
    its civic responsibility and social inclusion, and its practice of a model
    strategy for urban infill redevelopment.
    

In addition to Kutscher, the 2008 Sustainable Cities Awards Jury included Guy Battle, principal, Battle McCarthy, London, United Kingdom; Megan Christensen, director of community development and sustainability, Lend Lease Communities, LLC, Denver, Colo.; Todd Mansfield, chairman and chief executive officer, Crosland, LLC, Charlotte, N.C.; Chandran Nair, founder and chief executive officer, Global Institute for Tomorrow, Hong Kong, China; and Lee Polisano, principal, Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates, London, United Kingdom.

"The enthusiasm shown by participants worldwide certainly reinforces the fact that land use has a key role in the sustainability of cities," Kutscher said. "What this awards program shows is that exciting progress is being made worldwide. We have entered an exciting new era for our built and natural environment."

According to Richard M. Rosan, president, ULI Worldwide, the awards program is an excellent way to illustrate the importance of the impact of the built environment on climate change. "Growing concern over climate change is spurring demand for the inclusion of sustainable practices in the planning, design and development of cities and buildings worldwide," Rosan said. "We are delighted to be promoting through these awards best practices in sustainable land use around the globe."

John Ridding, chief executive of the Financial Times, said, "We believe these awards will provide an effective means of encouraging best-practice in this important area. We hope this competition will inspire greater recognition of the need for sustainability in our built environment."

The jury noted that in addition to the winners, all the finalists are demonstrating excellence in sustainability practices. The finalists:

--  City of Perris, California -- The city of Perris, California, in
    partnership with Honeywell International, installed photovoltaic arrays on
    its municipal buildings amid a city-wide effort to reduce energy use and
    carbon emissions.
    
--  City of Seattle, Washington -- Home to the most LEED-certified
    buildings in the country, Seattle's Green Building Program uses financial
    incentives, technical assistance, and educational programs to spur green
    building techniques.
    
--  Forest City -- Forest City incorporated lessons learned from
    sustainability efforts in individual developments into standard business
    practices for enterprise use, demonstrating a genuine change in its
    corporate culture.
    
--  Morley Fund Management -- igloo™, established by Morley Fund
    Management, has been described by the United Nations as the world's first
    sustainable property fund.
    
--  Pennsylvania Horticultural Society -- Bringing together more than
    5,000 constituents and 90 community groups, the Philadelphia Green program
    has reclaimed more than 138 acres of vacant land, planted more than 21,000
    trees, and harvested 22,000 pounds of local produce in community gardens
    throughout Philadelphia.
    
--  Pedra Branca -- Located in the southern, relatively affluent, state of
    Santa Catarina, Pedra Branca claims to be Brazil's first sustainable
    community.
    
--  ProLogis -- ProLogis, a global leader in warehouse facilities (more
    than 510 million square feet), and its recently acquired mixed-use
    subsidiary, Catellus, are developing new projects under such national and
    international standards as LEED (U.S.), BREEAM (U.K.), and CASBEE (Japan).
    
--  The St. Joe Company -- As steward of 700,000 acres in Bay and Walton
    counties in northwest Florida, The St. Joe Company avoided a piece-meal
    approach to development by establishing a template for private land
    development that is pre-approved by government, protects natural resources,
    and provides certainty to owners.
    
--  U.S. General Services Administration  -- Providing workspace for more
    than a million federal employees, the General Services Administration (GSA)
    since 2003 has been requiring that all new capital projects achieve LEED-
    certification.
    

More information about the awards program is at www.uli.org/sustainablecitiesaward.

About the Urban Land Institute

The Urban Land Institute (www.uli.org) is a nonprofit education and research institute supported by its members. Its mission is to provide leadership in the responsible use of land and in creating and sustaining thriving communities worldwide. Established in 1936, the Institute has more than 40,000 members representing all aspects of the land use and development disciplines.

About Financial Times Conferences

Established in 1971, Financial Times Conferences has many years experience of conferences, seminars, road shows, courses and forums. More than 1,000 events have been arranged worldwide and Financial Times Conferences has built up an enviable reputation for quality, integrity and accuracy. Expert programme development teams in conjunction create editorial programmes with Financial Times journalist and speakers and delegates are drawn from the most senior levels of industry, commerce and government. Further information can be found online at www.ftconferences.com.