Direct Energy Lauded for Innovative, Energy-Saving, Job-Creating Headquarters Move

Houston, TX (May 1, 2014) - Direct Energy's (DE) headquarter relocation from Toronto to 12 Greenway Plaza in Houston, a transition that began in 2012 and created more than 600 local jobs, is recognized by the Houston Business Journal as a 2014 Landmark Award. The Houston Business Journal's Landmark Awards recognize outstanding real estate projects in Houston that demonstrate excellence in land planning, design, construction, economics, marketing and management.

Direct Energy submitted its nomination under the "Headquarters Move" category, a project that included construction of over 80,000 square feet across four new floors, expansion on an existing floor and renovation of reception lobby. The renovation and build-out introduced green initiatives, such as carpeting and furniture made from recycled materials and motion sensors to reduce the company's energy use.

"We are proud to be one of the recipients of the HBJ Landmark Award. The transition to our new home in Houston was carefully planned with an exemplary team of experts both within and outside of Direct Energy," said Steven Murray, COO, Direct Energy. "The hard work and impressive results are part of our corporate culture, and it is great to have our efforts recognized in this fashion. I have always felt that Houston and its people are terrific and very welcoming, making Houston a fun and an easy place to do business. This backdrop played a large role in moving our headquarters here. Direct Energy looks forward to continuing to be an integral part of Houston's corporate and social community."

One of the project's distinguishing features is four floors of open-concept workspace with proportionate open collaborative space and private meeting areas. Another is a 9,000 square-foot Conference Center containing scalable meeting and training space resources as well as a state-of-the-art Executive Boardroom, employing "Smart Technology" and other IT A/V enhancements throughout.

Direct Energy was also recognized because of this project's environmental impact. It is the standard practice of Direct Energy to choose vendors whose philosophy matches the company's own commitment to the environment. Furniture contains recycled fabric; lower panel height in workstations means less material used; and old carpets are deconstructed and recycled before being replaced with the best "green" carpet on the market. Green upgrades, like motion sensors for lights in meeting rooms and for faucets in kitchens and bathrooms, were included wherever office redesigns took place. Direct Energy also hires and promotes the use of office cleaning companies who utilize green cleaning products, and participates in recycling programs across all North American office facilities. In addition, proceeds from selling furniture that was not reused were donated to local charities.

Direct Energy's facilities & projects staff coordinated the space needs of all employees during the construction and renovation project to ensure business operations were not adversely impacted, a difficult feat that required expertise and synchronization. This all happened while recruiting and hiring efforts were simultaneously underway to staff the business's needs.

Along with the creation of over 600 jobs in the Houston labor market, the relocation of Direct Energy's corporate headquarters to Houston has allowed the company to focus on growth opportunities in the U.S. where competitive energy markets are thriving, particularly in Texas and the U.S. Northeast region.

The award was presented during a ceremony the night of April 24th at The Houstonian Hotel in Houston, Texas.

For further information, please contact:
Jessica Michan
Direct Energy
jessica.michan@directenergy.com
713-904-7488