Hines’ Ecologistics 1 Is First Industrial Building in Mexico to Achieve LEED Certification

(SAN LUIS POTOSÍ, MEXICO) – The San Luis Potosí office of Hines, the international real estate firm, announced today that its newly developed industrial building, EcoLogistics 1, has achieved certification under the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED® rating system for Core & Shell projects. The 258,800-square-foot property is the first industrial project and only the third project in the country to earn the LEED designation.

Located in Parque Logístico in the industrial zone of San Luis Potosí, EcoLogistics 1 presents geographic efficiencies for light manufacturing and logistics companies operating in Mexico.

The building was developed, is owned, managed and leased by Hines.

Parque Logístico, developed by Hines/Grupo Valoran in 2006, is a state-of-the-art industrial and logistics park located on Eje 140 adjacent to the country’s most important highway, Highway 57 (the NAFTA Highway) and the principle north-south railway connecting the U.S. with Mexico. The park features intermodal facilities, which are land-based container terminals that allow for the quick and efficient transfer between road and rail transportation networks.

Hines Mexico Director of Construction and LEED Accredited Professional Javier Macías said, “As a leading developer of industrial space in Latin America, Hines is excited to be the first in Mexico to introduce LEED-certified space to multi-tenant and industrial clients.

Tenants are beginning to see the many financial and environmental benefits that accompany green commercial space.”

Hines Executive Vice President and CEO Mark Cover added, “Hines is leading the industry around the world in terms of sustainable development practices.

We hope our efforts in Mexico catalyze widespread change in building and operating practices across all sectors.”

Green building features include: bicycle storage and changing rooms; preferred parking for fuel-efficient vehicles; reduction of heat-island effect using open-grid pavement; use of low-emitting materials, adhesives, paints and sealants; a 20 percent reduction in indoor potable water use; and a 19 percent energy cost savings due in part to an integrated daylighting sensor system.

In addition, more than 50 percent of construction waste was diverted from the landfill back into the manufacturing cycle.

Hines’ development team included design-build contractor Abitat and LEED consulting firm BVM Engineering.

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is a Washington, D.C.-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization committed to a prosperous and sustainable future through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building certification program is a voluntary, consensus-based national rating system for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings.

Hines entered the Mexican real estate market in 1975. Since that time, the firm has completed several office, residential and industrial properties in Mexico.

In addition to San Luis Potosí, the company has operations in 13 other markets including Acapulco, Ciudad Juárez, Guadalajara, Hermosillo, Irapuato, Los Cabos, Mérida, Mexico City, Michoacán, Monterrey, Querétaro, Reynosa and Toluca. Hines earned a reputation in Mexico for quality residential developments in the 1990s with the development of the Del Bosque high-rise condominium towers in the upscale Polanco district of the capital city.

Hines is a leader in the U.S. Green Building Council’s programs, with 146 projects, representing more than 89 million square feet that have been certified, pre-certified or registered under the various LEED rating systems.

Hines is also a leader in the ENERGY STAR® program, and in 2009 Hines was recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, for the second time, with the ENERGY STAR Sustained Excellence Award.

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 more than 1,100 properties representing approximately 454 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 more than 100 cities in 17 countries, and controlled assets valued at approximately $25.8 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 in the United Kingdom, France’s Haute Qualité Environnementale and with the German Sustainable Building Council. Visit www.hines.com for more information.