KB Home (NYSE:KBH), one of America’s largest homebuilders, announced future sustainability commitments, including compliance with the federal government’s Energy Star certification requirements for all communities opening in 2009.
The company said it has already built more than 44,000 Energy Star-qualified homes froom 2001 to 2007. According to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency formulas, these homes reduce greenhouse gas emissions by over 140,000 metric tons annually, estimated to be equivalent to removing over 26,000 cars from our roads each year.
In its first ever sustainability report, the company also announced that, beginning in 2009, all new homes would be constructed using paint and carpet that are low in volatile organic compounds (VOCs), chemicals that cause adverse health effects, including eye irritation, headaches and kidney damage.
Beginning in 2008 all new homes will feature only Energy Star-qualified appliances.
"Our business requires a delicate balance between the societal need for affordably priced new homes and the environmental need to use our limited natural resources wisely," said Jeffrey Mezger, president and chief executive officer of KB Home. "The opportunities for KB Home to make a measurable impact in this area are immense, and we are committed to making sustainability an integral part of how we do business."
The company said it also intends to minimize waste in its construction process, increase the use of building materials made with recycled content, use building materials more efficiently, plan more sustainable communities and preserve natural resources.
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