2009 EVHA Gold Award

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Local Builder Wins National Green Building Award

Las Vegas, Nev., January 19, 2009 – The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Research Center, along with the U.S. Department of Energy and National Renewable Energy Laboratory named Coastal Green Building Solutions of Ridgeland, S.C. a gold winner of the 2009 Energy Value Housing Award (EVHA), which was presented prior to the opening of the International Builders Show in Las Vegas, Nev.

The EVHA is the nation’s preeminent energy efficiency award honoring builders who voluntarily incorporate energy efficiency into all aspects of new home construction. Winners were selected by judges based on criteria that included climate region (cold, moderate, hot) and construction type (affordable, custom/demonstration, factory-built, multi-family, production). Coastal Green Building Solutions received a gold award in the hot climate, production category for its Bryant Park Cottages, the first, and currently, the only certified green residential development located on Hilton Head Island.

Announcing the award, Tom Kenny, vice president of engineering and research of the NAHB Research Center, echoed the sentiments of the EVHA judges, saying, “Coastal Green Building Solutions has quickly become recognized as a local leader in green building and green remodeling. In fact, they only accept commissions for projects in which the clients share their enthusiasm and drive for environmental stewardship.”

In their creation of Bryant Park Cottages, Coastal Green Building Solutions worked alongside the U.S. Department of Energy’s Building America program and the regionally recognized EarthCraft House program to create a compact development footprint for Bryant Park’s twelve cottages; preserving and minimizing the impact on adjacent wetlands using highly efficient mechanical equipment, and implementing advanced building technology for maximum indoor air quality and durability. To ensure that prospective buyers recognize the energy features utilized, small signs are posted throughout the model home describing and calling attention to green products and design elements.

Now in its 14th year, the EVHA is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Building America program, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), in addition to the NAHB Research Center. The EVHA challenges builders to elevate standards for energy-efficient construction, provides educational opportunities for home builders, and fosters the adoption of energy efficiency principles.

Upon accepting the award Howard Feldman a partner with Coastal Green Building Solutions, said: “We are honored to be recognized alongside this elite group of builders who share in our dedication to the built environment and building the best houses we possibly can.”

About Coastal Green Building Solutions: Founded in 2006 by principals Howard Feldman and Mike Thorpe, Coastal Green Building Solutions, has quickly become recognized as the local leader in green building with projects ranging from custom residential, remodeling, light commercial and community development. Coastal Green Building Solutions is a member of the Home Builders Association of the Lowcountry and the Hilton Head Area Home Builders Association, for which partner Howard Feldman serves as a member of the board of directors and is chairman of the association’s green building council. Partner Mike Thorpe serves as a member of the Technical College of the Lowcountry – Wal-Mart Alternative Energy and Green Construction Advisory Committee. For more information about Coastal Green Building Solutions go online to www.coastalgreenbuildingsolutions.com or call (843)645-9808.

About the NAHB Research Center: The NAHB Research Center, located in Upper Marlboro, Md., promotes innovation in housing technology to improve the quality, durability, affordability, and environmental performance of homes and home building products. Created more than 40 years ago as a subsidiary of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), the NAHB Research Center has established itself as the source for reliable, objective information and research on housing construction and development issues. Through its various testing and certification services, the Research Center seal is internationally-recognized as a mark of product quality and an assurance of product performance. Additional information about the Research Center is available at www.nahbrc.org.