PALO ALTO, JUNE 15, 2009 - Clarum Homes’ new Danville, California community has been presented with a LEED Gold rating by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for the builder’s ten zero energy homes at Hansen Lane community, designed with guidance from Davis Energy Group. These homes are outfitted with Sharp solar power systems between 3.8 – 5kWs.

In addition to the Sharp solar arrays, the Clarum homes incorporate many energy efficient techniques and technologies – making Hansen Lane Estates the first Zero Energy Homes (ZEH) community and the first enrolled in the LEED for Homes program in Contra Costa County. The most progressive features of the homes include the combination of solar power and solar thermal, 10” SIPS walls and an advanced ventilation system.

"By deploying solar and incorporating other energy efficiency features into these homes, we're enabling our homeowners to save up to ninety percent or more on their utility bills,” said John Suppes, president of Clarum Homes. “The deployment of Sharp’s quality solar power systems on these homes helped us attain this achievement; we intend to further our mission of sustainable design and green building in all future communities we develop."

“In today’s tough real estate market, the one niche that is bucking the trend is sustainably-built housing. There is no higher standard for certifying sustainability than LEED for Homes. We are proud to be a part of Clarum’s Hansen Lane Estates project because it not only meets the LEED for Homes standard, it qualifies at the Gold level – two tiers above basic certification. These houses are more energy efficient and more comfortable to live in as a result. They represent the wave of the future,” noted Mark Berman, Principal, Davis Energy Group

These LEED Gold certified Clarum homes feature the aesthetically-pleasing, Sharp OnEnergy™ solar power systems that enable homeowners to generate clean, renewable electricity to meet their energy needs. “We’re very pleased that the use of Sharp solar panels on these Clarum Homes helped our customer realize this prestigious achievement,” said Ron Kenedi, vice president, Sharp Solar Energy Solutions Group.

Homeowner Daniel Beswick noted, "the comfort of the home is undeniably the best I've ever experienced. Our new home at Hansen Lane is extraordinarily quiet, and exceptionally comfortable. After paying a utility bill of more than $450 per month in the winter and $250 in summer, we have had only a $4.75 connection fee for electricity and about 1/2 the natural gas charge of our previous home. With the federal tax credit, which offsets a third of the cost, the 15% state rebate, the 50% bonus depreciation and the energy savings– combined with the positive environmental impact – it's a totally win-win situation. Additionally, the solar on our home adds value – but does not add to our property tax bill!”

About Clarum Homes
Founded in 1994, and headquartered in Palo Alto, California Clarum Homes is a family-owned development company devoted to building exceptional new home communities and apartments in California.

Clarum's mission of building sustainable communities began in 1999 when they began installing solar electric systems in their homes as standard equipment. Clarum Homes is now recognized nationwide as a leader in green building.

In 2002, Clarum introduced the Enviro-Home™, its own Zero Energy Home prototype. A perfectly designed blend of innovative construction technologies, unsurpassed energy efficiency and the use of sustainable materials, this home was a breakthrough for Clarum Homes, and for the entire homebuilding industry. The Enviro-Home minimizes the use of resources, reduces harmful effects on the environment, creates healthier and more comfortable living spaces, and provides savings on utility bills. The overwhelming response to the Enviro-Home, and Clarum's strong commitment to the environment, have prompted Clarum to continue building the Enviro-Home in all of its future communities.

About Sharp
Sharp Solar Energy Solutions Group, based in Huntington Beach, California, is a unit of Sharp Electronics Corporation, the U.S. subsidiary of Sharp Corporation, Osaka, Japan. Sharp is a world market leader in solar cell production, and offers both standard and integrated roof modules for home and business applications. Sharp also is the U.S. market leader and maintains solar panel assembly operations at its manufacturing facility in Memphis, Tennessee. The solar manufacturing facility assembles a variety of panels for residential and commercial installations. Further information on Sharp’s commitment to solar energy, its product line and the ways in which Sharp makes it easy to go solar is available online at www.solar.sharpusa.com.

Sharp Electronics Corporation is the U.S. subsidiary of Japan's Sharp Corporation, a worldwide developer of one-of-a-kind home entertainment products, appliances, networked multifunctional office solutions, solar energy solutions and mobile communication and information tools. Leading brands include AQUOS® Liquid Crystal Televisions, 1-Bit™ digital audio products, SharpVision® projection products, Insight® Microwave Drawer® appliances, Plasmacluster® air purifiers, and Notevision® multimedia projectors. For more information visit Sharp Electronics Corporation at www.sharpusa.com

About LEED® for Homes
LEED® for Homes is a third-party certification system for high-performance green homes. Developed and administered by USGBC, LEED for Homes awards points to projects in seven categories of environmental performance: Location & Linkages, Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Indoor Environmental Quality, Energy & Atmosphere, Homeowner Awareness, and Innovation and Design. To date, more than 540 homes have been LEED-certified, and over 13,000 have been registered and are under development. For more information, visit www.thegreenhomeguide.org.