Companies and individuals who make up the real estate, facilities and projects (RFP) industries across Asia have got on board with Earth Hour 2008 to show what impact their work can have on climate change. What began by affecting a couple of million people in Sydney, Australia in 2007 has gone global with industries across the Asia region being some of the biggest supporters. "

Last year, 2.2 million Sydney-siders took part in Earth Hour and this year we expect that figure to be in the tens of millions. We are excited by the overwhelming public support Earth Hour is receiving around the world. Earth Hour is all about people sharing responsibility for reducing greenhouse gas emissions," Earth Hour Executive Director Andy Ridley said.

John Forrest, CEO, Regional Business Lines & Corporate Solutions, Jones Lang LaSalle, whose offices across the region are participating, said "As an industry leader in property and facilities management, we recognize that the commercial real estate industry has the capacity to drive real change and innovation to ensure buildings are environmentally sustainable."

"Last year we were one of the inaugural companies that participated in the first Earth Hour in Australia and we are proud to have signed up our offices in 24 cities around the region this year..."We have had an overwhelmingly positive response from our client's predominantly in Australia and they invariably ask us to implement this for them. ... we are increasingly seeing interest from clients around the region."

As implementation is not always as straightforward as flicking a switch, Earth Hour education gives facility managers and building owners the opportunity to show their clients the complexity of building systems and contracts. Occupational health and safety, automated building management control systems, signage sponsorship, cleaning contracts, formal lease agreements and lighting requirements are just some of the issues facing participating building owners, according to Jones Lang LaSalle's Head of Operations in Australasia, Andrew Harvey "The management of a building is a complex series of systems and processes. Occupants don't cease to use buildings at 6.00pm on the dot, so the simple act of "turning off the lights" for an hour can be quite a complex process for operational staff."

Some of the many items on the building managers' checklist before Earth Hour are the following:
- Check tenancy agreements and get exemptions from tenants that have weekend lighting requirements in the contract
- Building automation systems need to be over ridden - Health and safety procedures need to be established
- Check signage and advertising contracts and get clearance if necessary - Train security and other staff
- Educate and communicate the plan to all tenants and explain their responsibility.

Building owners and managers should see this as good training. "In the not too distant future, we may be forced to shut off all non-essential lights as a standard operating procedure for all buildings. Lighting purely for architectural benefit may be an indulgence we can't afford and addressing some of these issues will be an important part of achieving a healthy energy balance in our cities," said Harvey.

RFP would like to congratulate the following companies involved in the RFP industries in Asia for joining the 20,000 odd other Earth Hour corporate participants:

- AP2I (Asosiasi Perencana Pemerintah Indonesia/ Indonesian Government Planners Society)
- Bovis Lend Lease India
- Celtic Viking Furniture
- EOSHMS Sdn Bhd
- gConscious Inc
- Jones Lang LaSalle
- KANAKA ENGINEERING ENTERPRISE PTE LTD
- Mallcom (India) Ltd
- Service Master Corporation Sdn Bhd
- Sinclair Knight Merz Indonesia
- STANLEY ELECTRIC ENGINEERING INDIA PVT LTD - GURGAON, HARYANA
- Stylus Serviced Offices - Bangalore, Karnataka
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