HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Hines, the international real estate firm, announced today that it has received top honors in Commercial Property Executive’s ranking of “Greenest Companies” in their March 2011 issue. Of the 35 real estate companies ranked, Hines came in first, and 16 percentage points higher than its nearest competitor. According to the publication, the “environmental sustainability index helps to identify and separate those firms most committed to sustainability from others new to or less involved in the practice.” Companies ranked had, on average, 22 LEED® or equivalent certified buildings, while Hines led the pack with over 200 buildings, representing more than 107 million square feet certified, pre-certified or registered under the various LEED rating systems. In addition, Hines has over 84 million square feet in the EPA’s ENERGY STAR® program.
Hines has long been a leader in sustainable design and in promoting GREEN programs around the world. Hines was a founding member of the U.S. Green Building Council, 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 (BREEAM) program in the United Kingdom and Haute Qualité Environnementale in France.