Meritage Homes Earns Sixth Consecutive ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year—Sustained Excellence Award for Leadership in Energy-Efficient Homebuilding

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., April 02, 2018 -- For the sixth consecutive year, Meritage Homes (NYSE:MTH) has received the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) 2018 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year – Sustained Excellence Award for its leadership in protecting the environment by advancing energy efficiency in homebuilding.

Meritage Homes also was recognized for the eighth year as a leader in the EPA’s ENERGY STAR for Homes Program. More than 40,000 Meritage homes have been built to exceed ENERGY STAR requirements since 2010.

“Meritage was the first national homebuilder to be 100 percent ENERGY STAR qualified in every home it builds and far exceeds the EPA’s standards today,” said C.R. Herro, Vice President of Environmental Affairs for Meritage Homes. “We’re committed to educating and inspiring the industry to advance building practices as we continue to raise the bar to achieve our long-term energy efficiency goals and help home owners save energy and money.”

With guidance and support from the ENERGY STAR program, Meritage Homes set and achieved many sustainability goals last year, including:

• Completing more than 7,500 ENERGY STAR certified homes in 2017, which are estimated to save more than 68 million kilowatts of electricity, eliminate more than 100 million pounds of carbon dioxide, and reduce homeowner utility bills by about $8 million annually.
• Achieving an average Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Index Score of 55 for all homes rated in 2017.
• Working with local utilities to demonstrate cost-effective strategies that reduce total and peak energy demand costs.
• Partnering with the EPA and Department of Energy to develop a systematic ventilation program that reduces peak energy usage, maintains better comfort, and minimizes overall energy demand. 
• Designing and constructing the Renewable Living Home, a proof-of-concept home that exemplifies leading ENERGY STAR efficiency.

“The 2018 ENERGY STAR Partners of the Year have demonstrated real leadership, showing how American families and businesses can save energy, save money, and reduce air emissions,” said Bill Wehrum, EPA Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation.

In 2016 alone, ENERGY STAR certified products, homes, buildings, and plants helped Americans save more than $30 billion in energy costs and approximately 400 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity and while achieving broad emissions reductions.

Meritage Homes will be honored for its accomplishments in Washington, D.C. on April 20. The 2018 Partner of the Year – Sustained Excellence Awards applaud organizations that have made outstanding contributions to protecting the environment through energy efficiency. These awards recognize ongoing leadership across the ENERGY STAR program, including energy-efficient products, services, new homes, and buildings in the commercial, industrial and public sectors.

For a complete list of 2018 winners and information, and more information about ENERGY STAR’s awards program, visit www.energystar.gov/awardwinners.

About Meritage Homes

Meritage Homes is the seventh-largest public homebuilder in the United States, based on homes closed in 2017. Meritage Homes builds and sells single-family homes for first- time, move-up, and active adult buyers in markets including California, Texas, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Georgia. Meritage Homes has designed and built over 100,000 homes in its 32-year history, and has a reputation for its distinctive style, quality construction, and positive customer experience. Meritage Homes is the industry leader in energy-efficient homebuilding and has received the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year for Sustained Excellence Award every year since 2013 for innovation and industry leadership in energy efficient homebuilding.

For more information, visit www.meritagehomes.com.

About ENERGY STAR

ENERGY STAR^® is the simple choice for energy efficiency. For over 25 years, EPA’s ENERGY STAR program has been America’s resource for saving energy and protecting the environment. Join the millions already making a difference at energystar.gov. More background information about ENERGY STAR can be found at energystar.gov/about and energystar.gov/numbers.

Thousands of industrial, commercial, utility, state, and local organizations—including more than 40 percent of the Fortune 500®—rely on their partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to deliver cost-saving energy efficiency solutions. Together, since 1992, ENERGY STAR and its partners have helped save American families and businesses over $450 billion and over 3.5 trillion kilowatt-hours of electricity while also achieving broad emissions reductions—all through voluntary action.

Contacts

Meritage Homes Corporation
Brent Anderson, 972-580-6360
VP Investor Relations
[email protected]