KB Home to Use Environmentally Friendly Recyclable Carpet Exclusively in All New Homes

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--KB Home (NYSE:KBH), one of America’s largest homebuilders, today announced that it has teamed up with Shaw to offer only environmentally friendly recyclable carpet in all its new homes. These carpets are made of Nylon 6, the only material capable of being continuously recycled into dyeable carpet fiber. Every home that uses recycled carpet fiber saves approximately 108 cubic feet of landfill space and also prevents emissions equivalent to 1,700 pounds of carbon dioxide (CO₂)*.

“This is one more example of how KB Home is exploring all aspects of our homes and finding ways to use more environmentally friendly products that are good for our customers and our planet”

This decision furthers KB Home’s commitment to building more sustainable, environmentally friendly homes. While KB Home already offers Shaw low-VOC carpet that meets the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) Green Label Plus standards, all carpet offered in homes that begin construction after June 30, 2009 will also be recyclable.

“This is one more example of how KB Home is exploring all aspects of our homes and finding ways to use more environmentally friendly products that are good for our customers and our planet,” said Jeffrey Mezger, president and chief executive officer of KB Home. “As a national homebuilder, we take seriously the opportunity we have to change the way new homes are built today for the sake of a better tomorrow. Shaw has been an outstanding partner to work with in our company-wide commitment to sustainability.”

KB Home homebuyers can now choose between Shaw’s Anso® nylon carpets and other Nylon 6 carpets, both of which are recyclable using a cradle-to-cradle manufacturing process that converts old carpet into a raw material that can be used to make new carpet. This practice mimics the renewal process in which natural products can be returned to the earth for decomposition. Shaw’s Anso nylon products also contain post-consumer carpet content derived from its recycling operation. Shaw currently recycles 120 million pounds of Nylon 6 carpet each year and was recently recognized by the EPA and the Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE) with the EPA/CARE Innovations in Carpet Recycling Award for the company’s Evergreen Nylon Recycling facility and leadership in post-consumer carpet recycling.

“We applaud the decision by KB Home to ensure that carpets in all of its homes are recyclable in a cradle-to-cradle process,” Shaw CEO Vance Bell said. “Shaw’s Anso nylon and other Nylon 6 carpets are the most sustainable products available because of their capability to be recycled and represent a distinct environmental benefit.”

Shaw’s Evergreen facility is part of a system of efficient post-consumer carpet collection, recycling, and value recovery on a large scale. Shaw has reclaimed and recycled more than 225 million pounds of post-consumer carpet since Evergreen’s opening in 2007. If a homeowner decides to install new flooring, they should ask their flooring installer to recycle their old carpet or contact Shaw at 1-800-434-9887 to locate the nearest recycling facility.

To learn more about KB Home’s My Home. My Earth.® environmental initiatives and view KB Home’s 2009 Sustainability Report, visit www.kbhome.com/sustainability.

*Source: Shaw

About KB Home

KB Home, one of the nation's leading homebuilders, has delivered hundreds of thousands of quality homes for families since its founding in 1957. The Company is distinguished by its Built to Order™ homebuilding approach that puts a custom home experience within reach of its customers at an affordable price. KB Home's award-winning homes and communities meet the needs of first-time homebuyers with flexible designs that also appeal to move-up buyers and active adults. Los Angeles-based KB Home was named the #1 homebuilder on FORTUNE® magazine's 2009 “World’s Most Admired Companies” list. This marks the second year in a row and the third time in the past four years that KB Home has achieved the top ranking. The Company trades under the ticker symbol "KBH," and was the first homebuilder listed on the New York Stock Exchange. For more information about any of KB Home's new home communities, call 888-KB-HOMES or visit www.kbhome.com.

About Shaw

Shaw Industries Group, Inc., a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, Inc., is the world's largest carpet manufacturer and a leading floor covering provider with more than $5 billion in annual sales and approximately 28,000 associates. Headquartered in Dalton, Ga., the company manufactures and distributes carpeting, rugs, hardwood, laminate and ceramic tile for residential and commercial applications worldwide. A recognized leader in environmental stewardship, Shaw has implemented hundreds of sustainability initiatives and cradle to cradle design solutions, collectively termed the Shaw Green Edge^®. For more information, visit www.shawfloors.com.

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