Wells Real Estate Funds to Observe "Earth Hour" on March 26

NORCROSS, Ga. (March 24, 2011) – Wells Real Estate Funds, a national real estate investment firm, will turn out the lights at properties nationwide this Saturday in observance of Earth Hour.

Homes, companies and cities around the world will go dark for one hour, starting at 8:30 p.m. local time, to promote environmental awareness, in an effort founded by the World Wildlife Fund ("WWF"). Wells is based in Georgia, an official participating Earth Hour state.

Wells specializes in Class-A office properties; its investment programs own 126 buildings nationwide. Wells intends to darken its owned-and-operated buildings, and the company also has invited tenants at some three dozen net-leased buildings to do likewise. Notable Wells properties participating in Saturday’s Earth Hour event will include Market Square in Washington, D.C., Key Center Tower in Cleveland, 100 East Pratt Street in Baltimore, and 5 Houston Center.

"We are proud once again to join this worldwide call for environmental awareness," said Scott Meadows, managing director, property services. "This is our fourth year as a supporting company of Earth Hour. On behalf of our tenants, we are pleased to have this opportunity to display our shared environmental commitment."

In keeping with Earth Hour, Wells buildings will turn off interior and exterior lights between 8:30-9:30 p.m. local time, except for lighting that is essential for safety or tenant commitments.

Wells is a certified ENERGY STAR® partner; more than 80 percent of Wells properties exceed the U.S. average for energy efficiency under ENERGY STAR guidelines. Wells’ portfolios also include 20 LEED-certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) buildings.

WWF bills Earth Hour as the largest event of its kind. Hundreds of millions of people in 128 countries participated last year, according to the organizers.

Wells Real Estate Funds was founded in 1984. Since then, Wells investment programs – current and closed – have invested more than $11 billion in real estate for more than 250,000 investors. For more information, go to www.EnergyStar.gov.

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