MBK Homes Is Recognized With A 2011 Energy Star Leadership in Housing Award

IRVINE, CA, June 15, 2011 (Press-News.org) MBK Homes is pleased to announce that it has been recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with a 2011 ENERGY STAR Leadership in Housing Award. This award recognizes the important contribution MBK Homes has made to energy-efficient construction and environmental protection by building 72 ENERGY STAR qualified homes last year. Collectively, these homes will save our customers approximately $32,184 on utility bills each year.

The environmental benefits of these ENERGY STAR qualified homes are equal to the equivalent of:

• Eliminating the emissions from approximately 35 vehicles;
• Saving 213,408 lbs of coal;
• Planting 58.32 acres of trees; or
• Saving the environment 418,536 pounds of CO2 per year.

To earn the ENERGY STAR, a home must meet strict guidelines for energy efficiency set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. These homes are at least 20% more efficient than standard new homes built today.

"MBK Homes prides itself on providing our buyers with both outstanding customer service and a top-of-the-line, quality home experience," notes Tim Kane, president of MBK Homes. "Offering homes that are ENERGY STAR qualified help us to enhance savings to our customers, as well as to create healthy living environments for their families."

ENERGY STAR qualified homes offer homebuyers all the features they want in a new home, plus energy-saving features like effective insulation systems, high performance windows, tight construction and ducts, properly-sized and installed efficient heating and cooling equipment, efficient products, and third-party verification of energy performance.

During the past year, MBK Homes built 72 ENERGY STAR qualified homes. The MBK Homes are located at the award winning Greenbrier new home community in Yorba Linda, and at the new home community of Sancerre in Eastvale.

Greenbrier offers detached luxury homes in Spanish, Craftsman, Italian, Monterey & Traditional styles. These unique two-story residences are located in the master-planned gold community of Vista Del Verde and offer a number of eco-friendly features, including dual-glazed vinyl windows with Low-E energy saving glass, thermostatically-controlled air conditioning with night set-back, a Rinnai tankless water heater with Metlund hot water D'MAND system, weatherproofing systems at exterior doors and windows, and compact fluorescent flush lighting. Interested buyers can tour the decorated models at the Greenbrier sales center, at 17962 Joel Brattain Drive in Yorba Linda. For further information on Greenbrier, visit http://www.mbkhomes.com/greenbrier, or call 714.223.7625.

The two-story Sancerre homes feature are an exceptionally crafted variety of Spanish, Italian and Cottage exterior architectural styles. Sancerre homes range from 2,911 to 3,927 square feet, and feature three to six bedrooms, three to four baths, and three to four-car garages. Floorplan options allow for home offices, lofts, and bonus rooms as well as the joining of two bedrooms to create a second master suite, a great bonus for families looking for multigenerational living spaces. Sancerre is located at 7250 Elysse Street in Eastvale. For further information on Sancerre, visit http://www.mbkhomes.com/sancerre, or call 951.270.0625.

"The value you get from an ENERGY STAR Qualified Home goes far beyond energy efficiency," said Sam Rashkin, National Director for EPA's ENERGY STAR Homes Program. "ENERGY STAR Qualified homes provide more comfort, durability, and a healthier environment than homes built to code. On top of that, they're tested and inspected to perform."

Last year alone, with the help of ENERGY STAR and partners, Americans saved about $18 billion on their utility bills and avoided greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of 33 million vehicles. Nearly 1.2 million ENERGY STAR homes have been built in the United States since the program first began labeling homes in 1995.

About MBK Homes
MBK Homes is active in the development of both attached and detached housing product, catering primarily to first-time and first and second move-up homebuyers throughout California. MBK Homes prides itself on its award winning customer satisfaction and its reputation for delivering quality housing that is innovative in design, comfort and craftsmanship, all at an excellent value. For more information, visit the company's website at http://www.mbkhomes.com.

MBK Homes is a division of MBK Real Estate Ltd., the U.S. real estate development arm of Mitsui & Co., Ltd., one of the world's largest corporations. MBK Real Estate's multidisciplinary concerns span a wide spectrum of real estate development, including homebuilding, retail and senior housing divisions.

MBK Real Estate Ltd. is headquartered in Irvine, CA, with regional offices in Portland, OR. Corporate offices are located at 175 Technology Drive, Irvine, CA 92618; phone (949) 789-8300; fax (949) 789-9300; or visit its Web site at http://www.mbk.com.


About ENERGY STAR
ENERGY STAR was introduced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 1992 as a voluntary market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through increased energy efficiency. Today, ENERGY STAR offers businesses and consumers energy-efficient solutions to save energy, money and help protect the environment for future generations. More than 126,000 new homes were constructed to meet ENERGY STAR guidelines in 2010, by partners committed to improving the energy efficiency of products, homes, buildings and businesses. For more information about ENERGY STAR, visit http://www.energystar.gov or call toll-free 1-888-STAR-YES (1-888-782-7937).