The Board of Directors of Acuity Brands, Inc. (NYSE: AYI; ?Company?) today declared a quarterly dividend of 13 cents per share. The dividend is payable on February 1, 2011 to shareholders of record on January 18, 2011.

At the annual meeting of stockholders held today, Norman H. Wesley was elected to the Company's Board of Directors (?Board?). Mr. Wesley previously served as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Fortune Brands, Inc. He will serve as a director for a one-year term expiring at the annual meeting for fiscal year 2011. He fills the board seat vacated by John. L. Clendenin who retired from the Board at today's annual meeting.

At the annual meeting held today, stockholders also re-elected to the Board Messrs. Gordon D. Harnett, Robert F. McCullough, and Neil Williams to serve for three-year terms expiring at the annual meeting for fiscal year 2013. Additionally, the Board re-elected Mr. Williams to serve as independent lead director for the forthcoming year.

Acuity Brands, Inc. is a North American market leader and one of the world's leading providers of luminaires, lighting control systems and related products and services with fiscal year 2009 net sales of over $1.6 billion. The Company's lighting and system control product lines include Lithonia Lighting®, Holophane®, Peerless®, Mark Architectural Lighting?, Hydrel®, American Electric Lighting®, Gotham®, Carandini®, RELOC®, MetalOptics®, Antique Street Lamps?, Tersen®, Syner¬gy® Lighting Controls, Sensor Switch®, Lighting Control & Design?, and ROAM®. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Acuity Brands employs approximately 6,000 associates and has operations throughout North America, Europe and Asia.

Acuity Brands, Inc.
Dan Smith, 404-853-1423