Gerald D. Hines, chairman and founder of the Houston-based Hines real estate development firm, has received the President’s Award from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) in recognition for his firm’s outstanding track record in sustainable development.
The U.S. Green Building Council organizes the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) program that certifies the sustainability programs and energy efficiency of buildings. In recognizing Hines, the organization said: “Hines is a longtime leader in the real estate industry with an unparalleled commitment to green building.
"With more than 100 million square feet of LEED-certified space, Hines has built a legacy of sustainability that continues to expand and evolve.”
The company has $1.7 billion of projects under development in Houston alone.
Also receiving awards at the organization’s Greenbuild International Conference in Philadelphia were: Mike McNally, president of Skanska USA; Greensburg, Kansas Mayor Bob Dixson; Joel Ann Todd, chair of the LEED Steering Committee and the Intel Corp.
Hines has a number of environmentally-friendly developments underway around the world. But none is more environmentally ambitious than LPL Financial at La Jolla, a 13-story, 415,000-square-foot building under construction in the San Diego area. That building will be “net-zero” meaning it will produce as much energy as it uses. In addition to being constructed with extremely high energy-efficiency standards and green materials, LPL Financial will have on-site fuel cells that convert carbon-neutral methane into electricity.
Hines founded his company in Houston in 1957. The company currently has $1.7 billion of projects under development in Houston alone, including a 47-story downtown office tower at 609 Main and a 33-story residential tower across from downtown’s Market Square, at Travis and Prairie. In addition, Hines is developing the 21 Eleven apartments on the site of the former Café Adobe restaurant on Westheimer; the 25-story Southmore residential tower in the Museum District at Southmore and Caroline streets; the 17-story 2229 San Felipe office building and the 46-acre Somerset Green infill residential community off of Old Katy Road.
Hines’ historical and current portfolio of projects that are underway, completed, acquired and managed for third parties includes 1,283 properties representing more than 516 million square feet of office, residential, mixed-use, industrial, hotel, medical and sports facilities, as well as master-planned communities and land developments. Hines has offices in 111 cities in 18 countries
Ralph Bivins, former president of the National Association of Real Estate Editors, is founding editor of RealtyNewsReport.
Gerald D. Hines, chairman and founder of the Houston-based Hines real estate development firm (File photo)
