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BRE, the world’s largest real‑estate services firm, has teamed up with Ecolab, a global leader in water, hygiene, and infection‑control solutions, to boost water efficiency and quality across commercial properties. The alliance underscores CBRE’s commitment to sustainability, especially in the often‑neglected area of water stewardship.

    CBRE manages nearly 8 billion square feet worldwide, drawing more than 100 billion gallons of water each year. This scale gives the company a unique platform to cut water use across diverse assets. By integrating Ecolab’s proprietary technologies, CBRE will deliver scalable, end‑to‑end water‑management solutions that enhance operations, cut costs, and deliver measurable environmental benefits.

    “We’re focused on creating value for clients by tackling their biggest sustainability challenges, and water is becoming critical—particularly in data centers, life sciences, and advanced manufacturing,” said Rob Bernard, CBRE’s Chief Sustainability Officer. “The combined expertise and reach of CBRE and Ecolab gives companies a powerful advantage in meeting their full water needs and can transform industry water use.”

    Ecolab’s systems are already active in millions of sites across more than 170 countries, helping firms optimize water use while boosting energy efficiency and cutting emissions. In 2024 alone, Ecolab’s solutions saved customers 226 billion gallons of water, conserved 65 trillion BTUs of energy, and avoided 4.6 million metric tons of greenhouse gases—equivalent to taking one million cars off the road for a year.

    “Water is central to operational impact and profitable growth for many businesses,” said Emilio Tenuta, Ecolab’s Senior Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer. “In manufacturing, up to 75 % of energy flows through water systems, making water efficiency a powerful lever for climate resilience and business performance.”

    The partnership is poised to benefit water‑intensive sectors such as semiconductor fabrication, pharmaceuticals, and data centers, which rely on smart water systems to maintain uptime and meet resource‑efficiency goals.

    This collaboration follows CBRE’s recent sustainability initiatives, including partnerships with Climate X and Deepki and the acquisition of NRG’s renewable‑energy advisory group. As water scarcity and climate risks intensify, the CBRE‑Ecolab alliance signals a broader industry shift toward integrated resource management, where sustainability drives core value rather than merely compliance.