(HOUSTON) – The Houston office of Hines, the international real estate firm, announced today that MainPlace in downtown Houston, the firm’s newest green skyscraper, has been pre-certified at the Platinum level under the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED® for Core & Shell rating system.
MainPlace was initially conservatively pre-certified at the Silver level, but Hines anticipates a higher level of certification due to certain high-performance features performing even better than anticipated.
Sustainable features and programs include: a fully vegetated green roof; a “skygarden” terrace; highly efficient heating and ventilation systems; glass with sunshades that results in up to 40 percent of the building façade being protected from the sun; and a condensate recovery system, among many other features.
Hines Senior Vice President and Project Officer John Mooz said, “Sustainability has moved closer to the top of every company’s agenda.
Going beyond the academic research and case studies, the business thesis for sustainability is plainly visible in areas like recruiting and retention, which is the beginning of the value chain for our tenants.”
City of Houston Mayor Annise Parker said, “Companies like Hines have independently demonstrated the viability of green buildings solutions, allowing the government to play a more supportive role. We need more firms like Hines to help move the market forward to a more sustainable future.”
Developed by Hines for Hines CalPERS Green fund, MainPlace is a dramatic 46-story, 972,000-square-foot office tower located at “main and main” in downtown Houston.
The elegant glass and steel building, which features a dramatic cutaway notch on the 39th floor, was designed by Pickard Chilton and will be ready for occupancy in early 2011.
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 top four floors are leased to KPMG LLP, the U.S. audit, tax and advisory firm.
Hines oversees leasing and management of the property.
Hines is one of the most sustainable real estate companies in the world.
In 2010 Hines was recognized by the EPA, for the third time, with the ENERGY STAR Sustained Excellence Award; Hines manages 153 labelled buildings, representing more than 77 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 202 projects, representing more than 107 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 1,119 properties representing more than 457 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 100 cities in 17 countries, and controlled assets valued at approximately $23 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.