Hines Wins National EPA Award for Energy Conservation

Press Release: Hines
March 21, 2001
HOUSTON, TX -- Hines, the international real estate firm, is being recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) ENERGY STAR® program for its outstanding efforts at energy conservation in buildings it owns and/or manages. EPA Administrator Christine Todd Whitman will commend Hines' accomplishments in a special dinner ceremony on March 20, 2001 in Washington DC.

The 2001 Energy Star awards recognize the voluntary leadership of organizations that promote pollution prevention through energy efficiency in their buildings. More than 7,000 organizations are participating nationally with EPA-estimated net electricity savings valued at more than $4 billion a year.

``The Energy Star award for buildings rewards top energy performance in publicly and commercially-owned buildings. A comprehensive approach to energy efficiency, including lighting, ventilation, and heating and cooling equipment, reduces a building's energy cost by about 30% while also reducing air pollution. This year we are proud to acknowledge Hines as a leader in building-energy efficiency and environmental stewardship,'' said the EPA's Kathleen Hogan, Director, Climate Protection Partnerships Division.

In 2000, Hines more than doubled its participation in the 18-month-old program, with 32 of Hines' major commercial properties in the United States having received Energy Star certification to date. These 32 buildings, representing 12 percent of the total number of Energy Star commercial buildings, translate to more than 28 million gross square feet, or 39 percent of the gross square footage of all Energy Star-certified properties across the country.

The EPA also noted that Hines' energy management performance was particularly exemplary in relation to its peers. Hines-managed properties consume significantly fewer British Thermal Units (BTUs) per square foot than those of its industry competitors. According to the United States Department of Energy (DOE), the average annual energy consumption in U.S. commercial office buildings is approximately 110,000 BTUs per square foot; the Hines average over the past four years is 84,100 BTUs per square foot-23.5 percent lower than the national average.

``These days, conservation of our natural resources is on our minds more than ever,'' said Hines President Jeff Hines. ``We are pushing all of our property teams to aim for EPA Energy Star certification-it makes good business sense and it's the right thing to do.''

Hines' Energy Star-certified properties include several in Hines' home city of Houston, including One Shell Plaza, Greenspoint Plaza, Williams Tower and Phoenix Tower. The roster of notable Energy Star buildings also includes the following:

     Washington, DC:     Franklin Square, 370 L'Enfant Promenade,
                         Columbia Square, 600 13th Street, 700 11th Street
                         and One Franklin Square

     San Francisco:      343 Sansome

     Los Angeles:        Sanwa Bank Plaza/Figueroa at Wilshire

     Minneapolis:        US Bank Place, Pillsbury Center
                         and Wells Fargo Center

     Boston:             Five Hundred Boylston and Two Twenty Two Berkeley

     Cleveland:          The Huntington Building

     Detroit:            Comerica Tower at Detroit Center

     Columbus:           Huntington Center

     Seattle:            Bank of America Fifth Avenue Plaza

Hines is a privately-owned real estate firm involved in developing, managing, leasing and acquiring real estate, as well as providing a wide range of advisory services. The Hines portfolio currently includes more than 660 properties representing 212 million square feet of office, mixed-use, industrial, retail and residential properties, as well as large, master-planned communities and land developments. With offices in 73 U.S. cities and 11 foreign countries, and assets in excess of $10 billion, Hines is one of the largest real estate organizations in the world. Access http://www.Hines.com for more information.

SOURCE: Hines