Acuity Brands Announces Completion of Sensor Switch Acquisition

ATLANTA--(Business Wire)--
Acuity Brands, Inc. (NYSE: AYI; "Company") today announced that its wholly-owned
subsidiary, Acuity Brands Lighting, Inc., completed the acquisition of Sensor
Switch, Inc. ("Sensor Switch"), an industry-leading developer and manufacturer
of lighting controls and energy management systems. The total value of the
transaction was $205 million consisting of stock, cash, and a note payable.

Vernon J. Nagel, Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Acuity
Brands, said "The acquisition of Sensor Switch provides us the opportunity to
accelerate our profitable growth strategy aimed at offering some of the most
technologically advanced sustainable lighting solutions incorporating both
controls and fixtures to maximize energy savings while delivering exceptional
quality lighting. The addition of Sensor Switch along with our recent
acquisition of Lighting Control and Design allows us to expand our capabilities
in offering a full array of intelligent lighting products and lighting control
solutions in a time when energy management control is critical."

Acuity Brands, Inc. owns and operates Acuity Brands Lighting, Inc. and Acuity
Brands Technology Services, Inc. With fiscal year 2008 net sales of
approximately $2.0 billion, Acuity Brands Lighting and Acuity Brands Technology
Services combined are one of the world's leading providers of lighting fixtures
and related products and services and include brands such as Lithonia Lighting®,
Holophane®, Peerless®, Mark Architectural Lighting, Hydrel®, American Electric
Lighting®, Gotham®, Carandini®, MetalOptics®, Antique Street Lamps, RELOC®,
Lighting Control and Design, Sensor Switch, Synergy® Lighting Controls, SAERIS,
and ROAM®. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Acuity Brands employs
approximately 6,000 associates and has operations throughout North America and
in Europe and Asia.

Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains forward-looking statements, within the meaning of the
federal securities laws. Statements that may be considered forward-looking
include statements incorporating terms such as "will," "expects," "believes,"
"intends," "anticipates," "may," and similar terms that relate to future events,
performance, or results of Acuity Brands. Specific forward-looking statements
made in this press release include statements related to the opportunity to
accelerate our profitable growth strategy aimed at offering some of the most
technologically advanced sustainable lighting solutions and to the expansion of
our capabilities in offering a full array of intelligent lighting products and
lighting control solutions. Forward-looking statements are subject to certain
risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially
from our expectations expressed in the forward-looking statements. These risks
and uncertainties include those related to our recent acquisitions of Lighting
Control & Design, Inc. and Sensor Switch, Inc. including, but not limited to,
integration of the acquisitions and realizing expected synergies from the
acquisitions. We also face other general risks, including customer and supplier
relationships and prices; competition; market demand; and economic, political,
governmental, and technological factors. In addition, additional risks that
could cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed our
forward-looking statements are discussed in Part I, "Item 1a. Risk Factors" of
our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended August 31, 2008, and are
specifically incorporated herein by reference. Further, forward-looking
statements speak only as of the date they are made, and management undertakes no
obligation to update publicly any of them in light of new information or future
events.

Acuity Brands, Inc.
Company Contact:
Dan Smith, 404-853-1423

Copyright Business Wire 2009