Houston-based Hines announced today that it has been recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with the 2011 Energy Star Sustained Excellence Award in recognition of continued leadership in protecting the environment through energy efficiency. Hines will be recognized at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C., on April 12.

This is the seventh time Hines has been recognized by the EPA as a Partner of the Year and the fourth time Hines has received the Sustained Excellence Award.

“Energy efficiency is one of the most important value drivers in today’s real estate economy,” said Hines President and CEO Jeffrey C. Hines. “We useEnergy Star in tandem with Hines’ proprietary building management tools to support our engineering efforts to maximize performance, minimize risk and preserve long-term value.”

Hines’ portfolio of Energy Star buildings consists of 154 facilities and more than 75 million square feet. With a weighted-average performance rating of 85 (35 points higher than the national average), the portfolio is 36.1 percent more energy efficient than the national average. This translates into an estimated annual greenhouse gas reductions equivalent to removing over 50,000 automobiles from the road for one year.

Hines is also a leading developer in the EPA’s Designed to Earn the Energy Star program, which recognizes buildings designed to achieve superior results in energy efficiency. Twelve Hines projects have earned this designation.

In addition to emphasizing the importance of energy efficiency to its tenants, Hines offers its “Green Office for Tenants” program to enhance sustainable operations within tenant spaces.

Hines is also a leader in the U.S. Green Building Council’s programs, with 205 projects, representing more than 107 million square feet that have been certified, pre-certified or registered under the various LEED rating systems.