Hines’ BG Group Place Earns LEED® Platinum Certification

Hines CalPERS Green Fund Delivers First LEED Platinum Core & Shell Skyscraper in Texas

(HOUSTON) – The Houston office of Hines, the international real estate firm, announced today that BG Group Place in downtown Houston, the firm’s newest U.S. skyscraper, has been certified at the Platinum level under the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED for Core & Shell rating system.

Even more notable, BG Group Place is one of only three buildings in the world to be certified LEED Platinum for C&S out of 3,373 total buildings registered for C&S.

This milestone marks Hines’ second Platinum building in downtown Houston, joining 717 Texas which received Platinum certification under the Existing Building (EB) rating system (another first in Texas) in December of 2010.

Sustainable features and programs include: a fully vegetated green roof; a landscaped “skygarden” terrace; highly efficient heating and ventilation systems; façade sunshades that result in up to 40 percent of the building façade being protected from solar heat gain without losing daylight; a condensate recovery system; and premier access to various modes of regional transportation systems including light rail, among many other features.

Hines Senior Vice President and Project Officer John Mooz said, “Through the initial design, construction and occupancy of BG Group Place, we were committed to delivering the highest quality building to our tenants, investors and to Houston.

This LEED Platinum certification confirms that not only is BG Group Place striking and iconic, but it is sustainable and efficient as well.”

Hines Global Sustainability Officer Gary Holtzer added, “High quality, sustainable office space is becoming an increasingly important consideration for tenants and employees.

The business case for sustainability is plainly visible in areas like recruiting and retention, which is the beginning of the value chain for our tenants.”

Developed by Hines for the Hines CalPERS Green Fund, BG Group Place is a dramatic 46-story, 972,000-square-foot office tower centrally located on Main Street in downtown Houston.

The elegant glass and steel building, which features a dramatic cutaway notch and tenant balcony on the 39th floor, was designed by Pickard Chilton and celebrated its grand opening this past February.

The project was designated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as Designed to Earn the ENERGY STAR®, acknowledging the building’s superior design intent.

With a design rating of 96, if the building performs as designed, it will be 53 percent more energy efficient than the national average office building.

The building is more than 65 percent leased to a roster that includes: BG Group plc; Citigroup; KPMG, LLP; and Latham & Watkins.

Hines oversees leasing and management of the property.

Hines is one of the most sustainable real estate companies in the world.

In 2011 Hines was recognized by the EPA, for the fourth time, with the ENERGY STAR Sustained Excellence Award; Hines manages 146 labelled buildings, representing approximately 68 million square feet, in the ENERGY STAR program.

Twelve Hines development or redevelopment projects, representing more than six million square feet, have been designated as Designed to Earn the ENERGY STAR.

Hines is also a leader in the U.S. Green Building Council’s programs, with 192 projects, representing more than 98 million square feet that have been certified, pre-certified or registered under the various LEED rating systems.

Hines was a founding member of the German Sustainable Building Council and the Russian Green Building Council, and is active in the Green Building Council Brasil, the Green Building Council España, the Green Building Council Italia, the Indian Green Building Council, the BRE Environmental Assessment Method program in the United Kingdom and the Haute Qualité Environnementale program in France.

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 for third parties includes 1,126 properties representing more than 459 million square feet of office, residential, mixed-use, industrial, hotel, medical and sports facilities, as well as large, master-planned communities and land developments.

With offices in 106 cities in 17 countries, and controlled assets valued at approximately $23.7 billion, Hines is one of the largest real estate organizations in the world.

Visit www.hines.com for more information.

To learn more about sustainability at Hines, visit www.hines.com/sustainability.