(HOUSTON) – Hines, the international real estate firm, announced today that it has been recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with the 2013 ENERGY STAR Sustained Excellence Award in recognition of continued leadership in protecting the environment through energy efficiency.
Hines will be recognized at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C., on March 26, 2013.
This is the ninth time Hines has been recognized by the EPA and the sixth time Hines has received the Sustained Excellence Award.
Hines’ portfolio of ENERGY STAR buildings consists of 167 facilities and more than 65 million square feet. With an average performance rating of 83, the portfolio is 27.7 percent more energy efficient than the national average.
 This translates into estimated annual greenhouse gas reductions equivalent to removing more than 160,537 automobiles from the road for one year.
Hines is also a leading developer in the EPA’s Designed to Earn the ENERGY STAR program, which recognizes buildings designed to achieve superior results in energy efficiency.
Twelve Hines projects have earned this designation.
Across the U.S., top companies and organizations are leading the way toward a more energy-efficient future through participation in ENERGY STAR.
Over the past 20 years, American families and businesses have saved nearly $230 billion on utility bills and prevented more than 1.8 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions.
“Hines is committed to partnering with ENERGY STAR in our efforts to increase energy efficiency in our buildings, which helps protect the environment and reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” said Hines President and CEO Jeffrey C. Hines.
“We use ENERGY STAR in tandem with Hines’ proprietary building management tools to support our engineering efforts to maximize performance, minimize risk and preserve long-term value.”
Hines Global Sustainability Officer Gary Holtzer added, “Our participation in the ENERGY STAR program is an important aspect of the firm’s sustainability program, which encompasses environmental, social and governance factors.
ENERGY STAR signals lower expenses for our tenants, higher returns for our investors and a better environment for everyone.”
The 2013 Sustained Excellence Awards are given to a select group of organizations that have exhibited outstanding leadership year after year. These winners have reduced greenhouse gas emissions by setting and achieving aggressive goals, employing innovative approaches and showing others what can be achieved through energy efficiency. These awards recognize ongoing leadership across the ENERGY STAR program including energy-efficient products, services, new homes and buildings in the commercial, industrial and public sectors. Award winners are selected from about 20,000 organizations that participate in the ENERGY STAR program.
Hines is a privately owned real estate firm involved in real estate investment, development and property management worldwide. The firm’s historical and current portfolio of projects that are underway, completed, acquired and managed includes 1,208 properties representing more than 488 million square feet of office, residential, mixed-use, industrial, hotel, medical and sports facilities, as well as large, master-planned communities and land developments. Currently, Hines manages 379 properties totaling 137 million square feet, which includes 66 million square feet for third parties. With offices in 104 cities in 18 countries, and controlled assets valued at approximately $23.8 billion, Hines is one of the largest real estate organizations in the world. Hines is also a world leader in sustainable real estate strategies, with extensive experience in LEED®, ENERGY STAR, BREEAM, Haute Qualité Environnementale and DGNB green building rating systems.
Visit www.hines.com for more information.