Los Angeles—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recognized Pardee Homes with its ENERGYSTAR® 2005 Sustained Excellence Award, noting the company's continued outstanding leadership in reducing greenhouse gas emissions by building energy-efficient homes. The 2005 honor also marks the third consecutive year Pardee Homes has earned EPA's ENERGYSTAR® Partner Award.

ENERGYSTAR® qualified new homes use substantially less energy for heating, cooling, and water heating; homeowners can expect to save annually on their utility bills. Award winners in all categories are selected from over 3,000 organizations that participate in the ENERGYSTAR® program. Formal recognition of the winners is slated for March 15 in Washington, D.C.

EPA's Sam Rashkin, national director, ENERGYSTAR® for New Homes, noted Pardee Homes' 2005 award during his visit to the site of the homebuilder's latest showcase of energy efficiency: a new home constructed for ABC-TV's EXTREME MAKEOVER: HOME EDITION in Santa Fe Springs, California. Pardee Homes President and CEO Mike McGee said the home's package of energy-efficient systems, products and design features will enable the family to save on its total energy bill.

"Pardee Homes takes great pride in the accomplishments we have achieved with ENERGYSTAR®, and we are especially pleased that this particular home will help a national audience understand more about ENERGYSTAR®," said McGee. "This project epitomizes our continued commitment to offering new homes that are good for homeowners and beneficial to the environment."

Pardee Homes has participated in the voluntary program since 1998, making a 100% commitment to ENERGYSTAR® compliance for homes begun since January 2002. The company's commitment has accounted for some 6500 ENERGYSTAR® compliant homes since that time. Pardee Homes' three-time win of the ENERGYSTAR® Partner of the Year Award made it an ideal candidate for EPA's first year of Sustained Excellence honors, according to Rashkin.

"The Sustained Excellence Award is reserved for those organizations that demonstrate continued commitment to the construction of energy-efficient homes that benefit the environment," he said. "The same homes also provide their owners with a quieter, more comfortable, and healthier home and significant utility savings."

"Every ENERGYSTAR® qualified home keeps 4,500 pounds of greenhouse gases out of our air each year, and last year alone, Americans, with the help of ENERGYSTAR®, saved enough energy to power 24 million homes and avoid greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 20 million cars—all while saving $10 billion," said Kathleen Hogan, director of EPA's Climate Protection Partnerships Division. "ENERGYSTAR® partners such as Pardee Homes, that are selected for the Sustained Excellence Award, have demonstrated a long-standing commitment to building homes that perform better for homeowners and for the environment. We applaud their outstanding efforts to create a new generation of homes that offer the very best in terms of efficiency, comfort, and durability."

Pardee Homes has worked with ConSol energy consultants since initiating the company's first ENERGYSTAR® programs in 1998. ConSol provides specifications and protocols for Pardee Homes' new homes, and certifies fulfillment of ENERGYSTAR® criteria.

Pardee Homes' Extreme Makeover: Home Edition house has earned multiple additional designations for energy efficiency and environmentally friendly design. The design meets criteria for a Zero Energy Home in the U.S. Department of Energy's voluntary program. It meets California Zero Energy Home criteria as part of the California Energy Commission's voluntary pilot program. It is a California Friendly Landscaping® Home, utilizing water savings technologies as part of a pilot program by the Family of Southern California Water Agencies. It has met the criteria for the California Green Builder designation from the California Building Industry Association for meeting criteria in energy savings, reduced water use and construction waste recycling.

Since 2001, Pardee Homes has implemented similar criteria as part of its LIVINGSMART® program, which includes products and features that support indoor air quality and incorporate renewable and recyclable products, and water conserving measures, in addition to offering advanced energy efficiency. Pardee Homes builds LIVINGSMART® neighborhoods throughout its market regions.

About [Partner] Originally established in 1921, Pardee Homes completed sales on 2,635 homes in 2004, with approximately $1.4 billion in total company revenues. Pardee Homes anticipates the grand opening of 30 new home communities in 2005, and more than 46 in active sales by year-end. The company is active in California and Nevada, with regional offices in Corona, Irvine, Pleasanton, Sacramento, San Diego, Valencia and Las Vegas. Pardee Homes' new home choices address a spectrum of households, and the company places particular emphasis on master-planned settings that also include schools, parks and preserved open space. Visit pardeehomes.com.

ENERGYSTAR® was introduced by the EPA in 1992 as a voluntary market-based partnership to reduce air pollution through increased energy efficiency. The program offers businesses and consumers energy-efficient solutions to save energy, money and help protect the environment for future generations. More than 7,000 organizations have become ENERGYSTAR® partners and are committed to improving the energy efficiency of products, homes and businesses. Visit www.energystar.gov or call toll-free 1-888-STAR-YES (1-888-782-7937).