Renewable Energy Case Study of the Month

May 2008

McCall Development
Billings

PORTLAND, Ore. — March 17, 2008 — The second annual Northwest ENERGY STAR Homes award winners have been announced, with McCall Development of Billings, Montana, being awarded Regional Development of the Year for the Josephine Crossing development. Awards are granted to outstanding partners who have helped establish a significant presence for ENERGY STAR qualified new homes within the region.

McCall Development was the first company to start building ENERGY STAR certified homes in the Billings area during 2006. “In building ENERGY STAR certified homes as well as developing a neighborhood that is 100% ENERGY STAR, home-owners and home buyers are more aware of the benefits and expect more in terms of energy efficiency,” states Greg McCall, owner of McCall Development. “As a builder in the beautiful state of Montana, we feel a responsibility to utilize our natural resources with great care. We are committed to green building, using low impact, environmentally safe products, and energy efficient building practices whenever possible.”

“In addition to building ENERGY STAR homes, we are committed to using ‘green' building practices and materials,” said McCall. Homeowners can choose to make their homes more environmentally friendly by utilizing the Design Studio at Josephine Crossing which features upgrades including sustainable choices like cork and bamboo.

The Josephine Crossing development has a slated build-out of 300 homes. During 2007, 23 ENERGY STAR homes were built within the community. Josephine Crossing is a traditional neighborhood developed with the principles of ‘smart growth' in mind. Each of the homes is unique in character with front porches and rear-loading garages. The homes sit on smaller, more manageable lots, saving more open space for pocket parks, trails, and natural land. This new type of development creates the feel of an older neighborhood with an emphasis on community and walkability.

McCall Development was presented with their award on Earth Day, April 22.

In 2007, 2,698 Northwest ENERGY STAR Homes were built in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana. There were 67 ENERGY STAR homes built in Montana during 2007. ENERGY STAR qualified homes deliver the features today's home buyers are looking for, with the additional benefits of comfort, energy and cost savings — all by employing a combination of energy-efficient construction practices and high-efficiency equipment. This increase in energy efficiency lowers homeowners' energy bills, as they save on heating and cooling costs, lighting, and everyday use of major appliances like dishwashers. About 25 percent of all U.S. carbon emissions come from homes, so making homes more energy efficient is an important step in reducing the emissions that contribute to global warming.

Homes earning the ENERGY STAR label in Montana are at least 30 percent more efficient than homes built to standard state energy codes. In addition, homes are performance -tested by a certified technician to confirm that efficient equipment is installed correctly for peak performance. A final endorsement before move-in takes place when an independent inspector certifies that all requirements are met to earn the ENERGY STAR label.

About McCall Development

McCall Development is a local building and development company located in Billings, Montana. The company was founded in 1993 by Jim McCall. Siblings Greg, Brad and Carolee McCall currently run and operate the company. With a vision to build homes that embody charm and character, where bigger is not always better, and affordable does not have to mean cheap. McCall Development homes are architecturally designed, Energy Star Certified and as unique as the people who live in them. For more information on the Josephine Crossing development, call 406.651.5354 or visit www.josephinecrosssing.com.


About ENERGY STAR and Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance

ENERGY STAR was introduced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 1992 as a voluntary labeling program designed to identify and promote energy-efficient products in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Today, the ENERGY STAR program is a joint partnership between EPA and Department of Energy and delivers the technical information and tools that organizations and consumers need to choose energy-efficient solutions. For a complete list of ENERGY STAR qualified products, retailers, manufacturers and energy savings information, call 1-888-373-2283 or log onto: www.energystar.gov.

ENERGY STAR qualified homes are built by home builders participating in the ENERGY STAR Homes Northwest program, which is funded by the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA). The Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance is a non-profit corporation supported by the Bonneville Power Administration, electric utilities, public benefits administrators, state governments, public interest groups and energy efficiency industry representatives. These entities work together to make affordable, energy-efficient products and service available in the marketplace. For more information regarding NEAA, visit: www.nwalliance.org. Consumers can learn more about ENERGY STAR qualified homes by visiting www.NorthwestENERGYSTAR.com or calling 1-888-373-2283.

In Billings, Montana, the ENERGY STAR Homes program is supported by NorthWestern Energy. NorthWestern Energy is one of the largest providers of electricity and natural gas in the Upper Midwest and Northwest, serving approximately 640,000 customers in Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska. In Montana, NorthWestern Energy offers incentives for ENERGY STAR lighting in all new homes where it is the electric utility. NorthWestern also offer ENERGY STAR Home incentives for electrically heated homes where natural gas is not available. To learn more, visit www.northwesternenergy.com