Exhibit 23 Auditor Consent S-8 Equity Incentive Plan

We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form S-8 of our reports relating to the consolidated financial statements of Highwoods Properties, Inc. and subsidiaries (the “Company”) (which report expresses an unqualified opinion and includes an explanatory paragraph regarding the Company’s adoption of the new accounting standard for reporting discontinued operations) and the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting dated February 10, 2015, appearing in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of the Company for the year ended December 31, 2014.