Offices of South Coast Plaza Awarded Prestigious Certification by the U.S. Green Building Council

COSTA MESA, Calif.--(Business Wire)--
South Coast Plaza officials accepted an award designating the offices of South
Coast Plaza as the first buildings in California to receive LEED-EB Gold
Certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for operations and
maintenance. The certification applies to the Plaza Tower, Center Tower and Park
Tower.

The offices are the first multitenant buildings in California, and three of the
first four buildings in the United States, to be awarded LEED Gold certification
by the USGBC for Operations and Maintenance.

As a part of the Green Building Program, the three office towers will reduce the
amount of CO2 released into the atmosphere by over 9.5 million pounds annually
and reduce water consumption by over 3 million gallons annually. This is a
significant reduction in the carbon footprint of these buildings.

"We are proud to be recognized by the United States Green Building Council as
the first company in California and the entire West Coast to have our buildings
honored with Gold-level LEED Certification," said Henry Segerstrom, Managing
Partner, The Offices of South Coast Plaza. "Sound environmental management is
good for business and part of our rich heritage as an industry leader who views
environmental stewardship as a responsibility to our tenants and to our greater
community."

The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Existing Building
Operations & Maintenance (LEED-EB O&M) certification program accredits
sustainable green buildings through the implementation of universally accepted
tools and performance criteria. The LEED-EB O&M rating system identifies and
rewards best practices and provides an outline for buildings to conserve natural
resources, improve the indoor environment and uncover operational
inefficiencies.

"Buildings are a prime example of how human systems integrate with natural
systems," said Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO & Founding Chair, U.S. Green
Building Council. "The South Coast Plaza project efficiently uses our natural
resources and makes an immediate, positive impact on our planet, which will
tremendously benefit future generations to come."

The 462,200-square-foot Center Tower, equal in height to Plaza Tower, is located
at 650 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, California. Center Tower uses seven
thermal storage units for reduced real-time pricing of its efficiency energy
consumption. All the chilled water used during the day to cool the tower is
chilled at night when electrical prices are low and stored underground to be
used during the heat of the day.

The 337,000-square-foot Park Tower is located at 695 Town Center Drive, Costa
Mesa, California. Park Tower had become known for its operation efficiency,
exceptionally high-quality offices, glass atrium lobby, grand public spaces and
impressive roster of tenants.

The certification bolsters South Coast Plaza`s commitment to stepping up
environmental practices at all of its properties, including South Coast Plaza
shopping center. The center, regarded internationally as the crown jewel of
shopping on the West Coast, has already been taking vital steps toward the
greening of the center:

* Participating in an Edison-sponsored program for energy reduction
* Retrofitting old equipment with state-of-the-art, energy-efficient technology
* Installing new roofs with energy-efficient insulation
* Utilizing reclaimed water for landscaping and a satellite irrigation system
for key areas of the property
* Conducting a full recycling program for e-waste, paper waste and green waste

About South Coast Plaza

South Coast Plaza is the crown jewel of luxury shopping on the West Coast, and
is recognized internationally for its unparalleled collection of nearly 300
boutiques, award-winning restaurants, spas and the adjacent world-renowned
Orange County Performing Arts Center. Its stellar cast of diverse retailers -
from Oscar de la Renta, Balenciaga, Hermès and Harry Winston to Tory Burch,
Barneys Co-op, J. Crew, H&M and more - has made it the highest grossing planned
retail center in the United States, with annual sales approaching $1.5 billion.
South Coast Plaza is located in Orange County, California, in the city of Costa
Mesa. For more information, visit www.southcoastplaza.com or telephone (800)
782-8888.

South Coast Plaza
Debra Gunn Downing
714-435-2115

Copyright Business Wire 2009