Key Tower Earns LEED Gold
One of 5 Largest Existing Buildings to Earn Award
NORCROSS, Ga. (June 25, 2010) - Cleveland's iconic Key Tower, owned by Wells REIT II, has become one of the five largest buildings of its kind to receive the coveted LEED Gold certification for environmental practices.
LEED - Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design - is a national benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings. Certification is administered by the U.S. Green Building Council. Gold certification is the second-highest of four classifications under LEED standards.
Key Tower, a classic 57-story skyscraper built in 1991 in downtown Cleveland, is one of the five largest buildings to receive the Gold designation in the LEED EBOM category (Existing Buildings: Operations and Management).
Wells Real Estate Investment Trust II specializes in ownership and management of Class-A office properties. Thirteen buildings owned by the REIT have now earned the exacting LEED certification.
"This is a great achievement for a truly outstanding building," said Don Henry, chief real estate officer, Wells Real Estate Funds. "Jacobs Real Estate Services manages this property with us, and they deserve a lot of credit for making continuous improvements and keeping Key Tower operating at the highest level."
Under recent initiatives, Key Tower was able to reduce its water usage by 30% and its electrical usage by 2.5%. At the same time, recycling of office waste increased 25%, and eco-friendly restroom products, cleaning supplies, and equipment were implemented throughout the building. Key Tower's ENERGY STAR® rating increased by six points.
Green Concepts International, a sustainability consulting firm, provided LEED consulting and building re-commissioning services to Wells.
Wells REIT II owns 91 office and industrial buildings in 23 states; Washington, D.C.; and Moscow, Russia, covering more than 21 million square feet. For more information on the REIT, visit http://www.wellsreitii.com/.
Wells REIT II is a program of Wells Real Estate Funds, a national real estate investment company founded in suburban Atlanta in 1984. Since its inception, Wells investment offerings - current and closed - have invested more than $12 billion in real estate for more than 250,000 investors. For more information about Wells Real Estate Funds, see http://www.wellsref.com/.
This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward-looking statements can generally be identified by our use of forward-looking terminology such as "may," "will," "expect," "intend," "anticipate," "estimate," "believe," "continue," or other similar words. Readers of this press release should be aware that there are various factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from any forward-looking statements made in this release. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, changes in general economic and business conditions, industry trends, changes in government rules and regulations (including changes in tax laws), and increases in interest rates. Accordingly, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. The identifier "Wells Real Estate Funds" is used generally in this communication, and not always in reference to Wells Real Estate Funds, Inc. The portfolios referenced are separate entities, as explained in the products' prospectuses. This is neither an offer nor a solicitation to purchase securities. Such an offer can be made only by prospectus. For a prospectus, contact Wells Investment Securities, Inc., 6200 The Corners Pkwy., Norcross, Ga. 30092-3365 (tel. 800-448-1010). SEC filings:
http://www.sec.gov/cgi-bin/browse-edgar?action=getcompany&CIK=0001252849&owner=include.
