PRESS RELEASES

Hines Sets New Bar for 'Green' Buildings in Southern California

New Buildings in San Diego and Irvine Receive Multiple Certifications on Same Day

9/18/08

(HOUSTON, TX) – Hines will reach two major milestones in sustainable development in Southern California today. First, an unprecedented “triple certification” will be bestowed upon 2211 Michelson in Irvine at a ceremony this afternoon. This evening, the firm will celebrate the grand opening of La Jolla Commons, the region’s first high-rise multi-tenant office building to achieve Gold level certification in the LEED® for Core & Shell program, sponsored by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). La Jolla Commons will also be the first project in San Diego to receive “Designed to Earn the Energy Star” (DEES) status under the EPA’s national ENERGY STAR® program for commercial buildings. Both events will be attended by David Gottfried, founder of the USGBC; and Karen Butler of the EPA.

Irvine, CA at 1 p.m. PST, 2211 Michelson

The first ceremony will be held in the south garden of Hines’ 2211 Michelson building. The property’s triple certifications now include:

• LEED-CS Silver, presented by David Gottfried;
• DEES designation, presented by Karen Butler and;
• The first-ever Irvine Green Building Certificate presented by the Mayor of Irvine, Beth Krom.  

2211 Michelson is a 12-story, 266,605-square-foot building office tower strategically located in the heart of the Irvine Business Complex, two blocks east of John Wayne Airport. Designed by architect Paul Danna, a principal of DMJM Design, standout green design features qualifying the building for its certification include: innovative wastewater and water conservation technologies; reduction in the use of electricity through highly efficient lighting and HVAC systems; low-emitting materials; 60 percent more glass than conventional office buildings providing maximum daylight within interior spaces; extensive gardens with 50 new trees; and landscaped outdoor workspaces.

San Diego, CA at 5 p.m. PST, La Jolla Commons

The grand opening of La Jolla Commons in San Diego will take place at the building. The property’s certifications include:

• LEED-CS Gold, (making it the first LEED Gold multi-tenant building in Southern California) presented by David Gottfried and;  
• DEES designation, (the first DEES designated building in San Diego) presented by Karen Butler.

La Jolla Commons is a 13-story, 300,000-square-foot, Class A, commercial office building located at La Jolla Village Drive and I-805 in San Diego’s University Town Center (UTC) area. The property was also designed by DMJM Architects and earned LEED Gold certification for its high-performance design and state-of-the-art operating systems. For example, the building employs a dual-piping system in order to use 87 percent less fresh water than traditional buildings. Other notable sustainable features include its exterior made predominantly of a highly energy-efficient, glass curtain-wall system that exposes 90 percent of each floor to natural light, while still reducing heat transfer. The building is approximately 50 percent more energy efficient than average office buildings.

Hines is the United States’ leading owner, developer and manager of green office buildings. Since 1998, the firm has been an active member of the U.S. Green Building Council, helping to guide the development of its LEED Rating Systems. Since 1999, the firm has been a strong supporter of the EPA’s ENERGY STAR building labeling program. For instance, Hines was the first real estate company to win ENERGY STAR “Partner of the Year” for three consecutive years (2001-2003), and the ENERGY STAR Sustained Excellence in Energy Management Award (2004). Hines’ rapidly expanding sustainable real estate portfolio includes more than 80 LEED certified, pre-certified or registered projects around the world (over 46 million sq. ft.), more than 135 ENERGY STAR-labeled buildings (over 80 million sq. ft.), and seven Designed to Earn the ENERGY STAR projects (4.8 million sq. ft.).

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 1,000 properties representing approximately 435 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 16 countries, and controlled assets valued at approximately $22.9 billion, Hines is one of the largest real estate organizations in the world. Visit www.hines.com for more information.