Wells Fargo Center in Minneapolis Goes Green

We got a note from the people down at Hines today, letting us know that the iconic Wells Fargo Center in Minneapolis has been given LEED-EB Gold status.

• You can read more about the Wells Fargo Center in Minneapolis here.
• And you can click here for more buildings in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul area.

The press release follows:

(MINNEAPOLIS) - The Minneapolis office of Hines, the international real estate firm, announced today that Wells Fargo Center has received Gold certification under the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED^® rating system for Existing Buildings (EB).

With an ENERGY STAR score of 93, Wells Fargo Center is 49 percent more energy efficient and annually saves $1.59 in energy costs per square foot when compared to the national average office building.  This translates to estimated annual greenhouse gas reductions equivalent to removing 3,485 passenger vehicles from the road.  Under Hines management, Wells Fargo Center has earned the ENERGY STAR^® label for eight consecutive years.

Wells Fargo Center is a 1.2-million-square-foot, 57-story office building located in downtown Minneapolis. Designed by Cesar Pelli & Associates, the property has been managed and leased by Hines since the firm developed it in 1987.  NWC Limited Partnership owns the property.

Hines General Property Manager Amy Wimmer said, "Leading companies recognize the link between sustainable real estate and lower expenses, lower risk and higher employee productivity.  This Class A property offers those very benefits in the form of a classical architectural icon."

Wells Fargo Properties Vice President Brent E. Hanson said, "It makes us feels good that Hines works so hard to ensure that our space is as comfortable and environmentally sound as possible.  The LEED certification substantiates their efforts."

Hines undertook numerous sustainability measures, including: installation of low-flow water fixtures, saving 4 million gallons of water per year; installation of high-efficiency motors and variable frequency drives; installation of lighting occupancy sensors in restrooms; ongoing building waste diversion rate of 69 percent; a green cleaning program; and Hines' GREEN OFFICE for Tenants program, designed to enhance tenant space.

Wells Fargo Center is leased to a roster of tenants that includes Wells Fargo & Company, Faegre & Benson LLP and KPMG LLP, among others.

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 147 labelled buildings, representing approximately 75 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 192 projects, representing more than 100 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 1,111 properties representing more than 451 million square feet of office, residential, mixed-use, industrial, hotel, medical and sports facilities, as well as large, master-planned communities and land developments. Hines has offices in more than 100 cities in 17 countries and controls assets valued at approximately $22.2 billion. Visit www.hines.com for more information. To learn more about sustainability at Hines, visitwww.hines.com/sustainability.