POMPANO BEACH, FL, April 4, 2007 — Florida Power and Light Company and Habitat for Humanity of Broward held a dedication ceremony today in Pompano during which four families received the keys to their brand new energy-efficient homes. As a result of FPL’s Buildsmart for Humanity program, the families of Calvin Daniels and Ebony Johnson, Sandra Clemmons, Annie Dixon and Angela Nelson have now realized the dream of owning their very own home.
Since FPL began this program in 2005, BuildSmart for Humanity has worked with Habitat for Humanity in 32 counties across FPL’s service territory in Florida, built 15 homes and upgraded more than 225 homes to Buildsmart standards. All BuildSmart for Humanity homes are certified by FPL energy experts and upgraded with energy-efficient installations, including high performance air conditioning and attic insulation. The added energy efficiency saves homeowners up to 30% on their utility bills, equating to hundreds of dollars annually.
“FPL is proud to offer our wholehearted support to help make the dream of homeownership a reality for families in need,” said Jeff Bartel, FPL vice president of corporate external affairs. “Our BuildSmart for Humanity program is helping to build communities as well as homes that are energy-efficient.”
In addition to monetary contributions, FPL has committed hundreds of volunteer man-hours to help with the new home construction as well as support from energy advisors to help guide the new homeowners as they manage their home energy needs.
“BuildSmart for Humanity is a groundbreaking program that makes it possible for us to build more homes for deserving families, but also helps these first-time homeowners keep their energy bills as low as possible,” said Laurie Salarullo, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Broward. “For a family on a limited budget, these savings can make managing their new homes easier and less stressful.”
FPL encourages new home builders to put BuildSmart features into new homes. As more people move to Florida, the demand for energy increases. BuildSmart homes are energy-efficient, which helps conserve Florida’s natural resources. Overall, FPL energy conservation programs, including BuildSmart, have saved enough electricity to postpone the need for 10 additional power plants in Florida. For more information about BuildSmart or any of FPL’s energy conservation programs, visit www.FPL.com.
For more information about Habitat for Humanity, visit www.habitat.org.
About Florida Power & Light Company
Florida Power & Light Company is the principal subsidiary of FPL Group, Inc. (NYSE: FPL), nationally known as a high quality, efficient and customer-driven organization focused on energy-related products and services. With annual revenues of nearly $16 billion and a growing presence in 26 states, FPL Group is widely recognized as one of the country's premier power companies. Florida Power & Light Company serves 4.4 million customer accounts in Florida. FPL Energy, LLC, FPL Group's competitive energy subsidiary, is a leader in producing electricity from clean and renewable fuels. Additional information is available on the Internet at www.FPL.com, www.FPLGroup.com and www.FPLEnergy.com.
About Habitat for Humanity International
Habitat for Humanity International, based in Americus, Ga., is an ecumenical Christian ministry that welcomes to its work all people dedicated to the cause of eliminating poverty housing. Since 1976, Habitat has built more than 200,000 houses in nearly 100 countries, providing simple, decent and affordable shelter for more than 1 million people. For more information, visit www.habitat.org.