From Green Street to Easy Street

PHOENIX, AZ--(Marketwire - October 7, 2008) - Philip Beere, owner of Green Street Development, a sustainable design and consulting firm in Phoenix, knew it was just a matter of time before people noticed his remodel of a 1960s-era, ranch-style home at 3313 E. Medlock Drive, only 10 minutes from downtown Phoenix and Scottsdale.

Today, the home is not only an icon in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area, it's also a model of sustainability -- using considerably less energy, water and raw materials than a traditional, newly constructed home. It's also the first LEED gold-certified home remodel west of the Mississippi River. (LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is the U.S. Green Building Council's rating system for recognizing the design and construction of high-performance, environmentally friendly products.)

Contributing to the success of this sustainable home is a state-of-the-art heating and air conditioning system featuring two York® Latitude™ heat pumps, manufactured by Johnson Controls, Inc. The heat pumps meet the cooling and heating requirements outlined in the LEED program, while contributing to significantly lower energy costs. In fact, the home uses only $500 in annual utilities -- compared to $3,500 before the remodel.

Beere purchased the property, which serves as his residence, for $510,000. Today, after acting as the general contractor and investing more than $320,000 in sustainable home improvements, the property has an appraised value of $895,000.

From top to bottom and side to side, the 2,700-square-foot, four-bedroom and three-bathroom home is everything sustainable. It features non-formaldehyde bamboo floors, counter tops constructed from recycled paper, a charging station for electric cars, clay paints, re-used framing materials, drought-tolerant landscaping, a satellite-controlled irrigation system, low-flush toilets, bio-based foam insulation, natural lighting, ENERGY STAR® windows and appliances, and a permeable-membrane driveway.

If Beere's experience is any indication, healthy, energy-efficient and sustainable homes -- whether they're remodels or new construction -- will continue to be a growing trend nationwide. Beere believes the 3313 E. Medlock Drive project has already influenced other projects in the Phoenix area, while motivating homeowners, contractors and developers to use sustainable building practices.

What's more, the home was recently a finalist in the Valley Forward Association's Environmental Excellence Awards, which serves as a benchmark for promoting livable communities, conserving natural resources and sustaining the desert environment for future generations.

QUOTES

Philip Beere, owner, Green Street Development, Phoenix:

-- "My primary goal was to make a healthy home for myself and future occupants -- a home that is very energy efficient. I also wanted to set an example for others who are remodeling homes, to show them that doing the sustainable thing makes sense. So I chose LEED as the benchmark."

-- "For homeowners, the first step in achieving a sustainable home is to embrace a premier rating system such as LEED. New and improved sustainable products are continuously coming to market. So, do your research and gather as much information as possible before making a decision. And find a team of contractors who believes in sustainability or is at least open to sustainable principles."

Jeff Wrublevski, superintendent, Ron Brocks Heating & Cooling, a York dealer, Glendale, AZ:

-- "We considered installing units with a higher Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER), but the overall cost compared to the return on investment was the deciding factor. The energy ratings of the York equipment contribute a great deal in reducing energy costs. However, without good windows, foam insulation and a sealed building envelope, the equipment would not have been able to contribute as much."

-- "The York heating and cooling system helped the home achieve a 'healthy house' certification from the American Lung Association. Extremely tight and leak-free ducts, as well as a constant source of fresh air, are very important to a healthy home."

Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon:

-- "3313 E. Medlock Drive has set a new standard for single-family home remodels and new builds in Phoenix. The home is an example for other developers to follow in making homes healthy and energy efficient. The City of Phoenix is proud to have the first LEED gold-certified home west of the Mississippi."

Johnson Controls

Johnson Controls (NYSE: JCI) is the global leader that brings ingenuity to the places where people live, work and travel. By integrating technologies, products and services, we create smart environments that redefine the relationships between people and their surroundings. Our team of 140,000 employees creates a more comfortable, safe and sustainable world through our products and services for more than 200 million vehicles, 12 million homes and one million commercial buildings. Our commitment to sustainability drives our environmental stewardship, good corporate citizenship in our workplaces and communities, and the products and services we provide to customers. For additional information, please visit http://www.johnsoncontrols.com/.

Contact Information: Abby Butt PR Account Manager Godfrey (717) 393-3831 ext. 213