TOKYO, June 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- ProLogis (NYSE: PLD), the world's largest owner, manager and developer of distribution facilities, announced today that it has received a top award from the Japan Federation of Freight Industries (JFFI), one of the major logistics industry associations in Japan.
ProLogis was given one of five annual awards from the association, recognizing environmental accomplishments in the logistics industry. The company received the "Logistics Environmental Technology Development Award" for its development and implementation of a precast concrete and seismic isolation system (PCSIS), which is a construction method used in multi-story warehouses that reduces the amount of CO2 and Life Cycle CO2 (LCCO2) emissions.
"We are extremely pleased to have been recognized by JFFI for our PCSIS construction method," said Jeffrey Schwartz, chairman and chief executive officer. "Our team in Japan is very skilled in pioneering new standards and this process was a direct result of their ingenuity and creativity."
In Japan, multi-story distribution centers are prevalent due to land constraints throughout the country, and protecting these structures from earthquake damage is imperative. The PCSIS construction technique, implemented by ProLogis, goes beyond standard construction to create an environmentally friendly design while still protecting the facility from potential earthquake damage.
Adopting this PCSIS construction method reduces the size of the structural columns and beams, which, in turn, saves substantial construction time, lessens the number of construction trucks traveling to and from the site and reduces overall construction waste. ProLogis tested the benefits of this system compared to standard construction methods on other multi-story facilities and found that, when using the seismic isolation construction method, the LCCO2 emissions were reduced by 12 percent per year.
ProLogis was selected for the Logistics Environmental Technology Development Award by a group of JFFI judges, who chose the top technological development that contributes to the overall growth of the logistics industry and improves upon environmental considerations. Two Logistics Environmental Awards were given; Toyota Motors (joint application) and Tokyo Electric Power Company (joint application) were each awarded this top distinction. Other award winners included Nippon Express for the Logistics Environmental Education Award and Japan Freight Railway for the Logistics Environmental Conservation Award. All JFFI award recipients will be recognized at an awards ceremony on June 19th in Tokyo, Japan.
ProLogis' Japan portfolio totals 35.3 million square feet (3.3 million square meters) of industrial space owned, managed or under development. Major customers in the country include DHL, Nippon Express, Matsushita Logistics, Askul, Sanyo Electric Logistics, Seiyu/Wal-Mart, Yamato Logistics, FedEx and Nikon.
About ProLogis
ProLogis is the world's largest owner, manager and developer of distribution facilities, with operations in 121 markets across North America, Europe and Asia. The company has $38.8 billion of assets owned, managed and under development, comprising 526.3 million square feet (48.9 million square meters) in 2,817 properties as of March 31, 2008. ProLogis' customers include manufacturers, retailers, transportation companies, third-party logistics providers and other enterprises with large-scale distribution needs. Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, ProLogis employs over 1,500 people worldwide. For additional information about the company, go to
www.prologis.com/.
SOURCE: ProLogis
CONTACT: Media, Mo Sheahan, +1-303-567-5434,
msheahan@prologis.com, or
Investors, Melissa Marsden, +1-303-567-5622,
mmarsden@prologis.com, both of ProLogis
Web site:
www.prologis.com/