Noble Energy Inc., an independent energy company, signed a long-term lease with a joint venture of Trammell Crow Co. and Principal Real Estate Investors for the entire 497,000-sq.-ft. office building at 20555 State Highway 249 in Houston. The building comes with an adjacent land parcel that will accommodate the firm’s future expansion requirements.

Noble Energy will consolidate several Houston offices at its new location. It will begin relocating staff to its new global headquarters in the summer of 2013.

Jim Arket and Mona Williams, of Grubb & Ellis, represented Noble Energy in the transaction. Cody Armbrister and Steve Rocher, of CBRE, represented the landlords.

“Our new global headquarters will bring our very talented and dedicated workforce closer together, helping to provide and promote the type of working environment that will fuel Noble Energy’s continued and positive growth,” said Charles Davidson, chairman and CEO of Noble Energy, in a statement.

Trammell Crow and Principal Real Estate purchased 20555 State Highway 249 from Hewlett Packard in May 2011. The building was originally completed in 1998.