Global Corporate Xpansion

HOUSTON MANAGEMENT DISTRICT WORKS TO MAKE AREA GREENER Management districts often focus on beautification and public safety. But one district in north Houston is adding something new to its agenda: sustainability.

STAR during its decade-long partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the firm has more than 100 million square feet of space in the U.S. Green Building Council’s various LEED programs. Six Hines buildings in the Greenspoint portfolio will earn LEED certification this year, and a successful recycling campaign is already under way. Last year, a group of Hines’ Greenspoint buildings recycled more than 732 tons of paper, cardboard, glass, aluminum, plastic, and electronics, diverting 41 percent of its waste from landfills.

“Sustainability is part of our DNA,”
said Hines General Property Manager
Kelly McNeill. “We entertain any idea that
improves the environment, enhances
tenant experience and promotes bottom
line growth. Tenants are now asking for
sustainability, and we are happy to be
on the forefront of the movement.”
And food distribution giant Sysco
Corp. recently opened a LEED-certified
distribution center in Greenspoint. The
building meets high environmental stan-
dards and features a rare hydrogen fuel-
ing system that powers forklifts.

While many of Greenspoint’s largest companies and newer developments have already made sustainability a priority, smaller companies and owners of older buildings are struggling with making their businesses more eco-friendly.

Keville is determined to help them. She is considering a program that would allow companies to choose from a list of sustainable practices and renovations and earn points in exchange for recognition as a certified green business.

While some ideas are still being hashed out, the district is already implementing green strategies.

Using social media and more traditional marketing techniques, the Greenspoint District provides the community with eco-friendly tips, which range from printing double-sided paper to turning off lights when offices aren’t in use. The tips are designed to be easy and affordable.

The district, long known for its treelined streets and green spaces, has always worked to save natural habitats within the community, but new projects go even further. Projects funded by the Greater Greenspoint Redevelopment Authority now feature reclaimed water, drought resistant landscaping and permeable concrete.

District employees have also identified funding sources and grants that pay for environmentally friendly retrofits and replacement equipment to decrease energy consumption. Plans are now in the works to start educational seminars that pair environmental leaders with Greenspoint property owners and managers.

“Being green is great for business,” said Greenspoint District President Jack Drake. “It is important to our companies and our community because it lowers operating costs and protects the environment.”