Eight KB Home Divisions Recognized for Building Homes That Protect
the Environment
KB Home (NYSE: KBH), one of the nation’s
largest homebuilders, is pleased to announce that eight of its divisions
across the United States have been recognized by the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) with a 2008 ENERGY STAR Leadership in Housing
Award. KB Home’s Austin, Dallas/Fort Worth,
Houston, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Sacramento, San Antonio and Southern
California divisions each were recognized for their important
contribution to energy-efficient construction and environmental
protection by building ENERGY STAR qualified homes in 2007.
In 2007, KB Home built 7,467 ENERGY STAR qualified homes across the
country as part of its “My Home. My Earth.™”
environmental initiative. Collectively, these homes will save KB Home
homeowners approximately $3.3 million on annual utility bills. The
environmental benefits of these ENERGY STAR qualified homes are the
equivalent of:
-
Eliminating the emissions from 3,658 vehicles
-
Saving 22 million pounds of coal
-
Planting 6,048 acres of trees
-
Saving the environment 43 million pounds of carbon dioxide per year
“We appreciate the EPA’s
recognition of our leadership in building quality, energy-efficient
homes for our homebuyers,” said Jeffrey
Mezger, president and chief executive officer of KB Home. “Building
homes that meet the ENERGY STAR standard delivers on our commitments to
the environment and our homebuyers by offering the ultimate in value and
choice.”
According to Sam Rashkin, National Director of ENERGY STAR for Homes, “ENERGY
STAR qualified homes are better homes that cost less to own, protect our
environment, reduce our reliance on imported energy, and improve our
economy. Leadership in Housing award recipients are making a meaningful
difference at this critical time in our country’s
history.”
Homes that earn the ENERGY STAR qualification meet strict guidelines for
energy efficiency set by the EPA. ENERGY STAR qualified homes are at
least 15 percent more energy efficient than homes built to the 2004
International Residential Code (IRC), and include additional
energy-saving features.