Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has recently announced that DPR Construction, Inc. is a recipient of one of this year's highest and most prestigious environmental honors--the Governor's Environmental and Economic Leadership Awards (GEELA). DPR received recognition in the sustainable facilities category for its 53,000-sq.-ft. Sacramento office building, which achieved Silver Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) certification for new construction and Gold LEED certification for commercial interiors, and is the first privately held LEED certified building in California's Central Valley. Along with DPR, the city of San Jose for its West Valley Branch Library and Thomas Properties Group for the Joe Serna Jr. Cal/EPA Headquarters also were recognized in the sustainable facilities category.

"Each of these recipients has shown a deep commitment to balancing environmental preservation and protection with the need to keep California's economy growing. I commend them for their efforts," said Governor Schwarzenegger.

Recipients are chosen from throughout California for promoting excellence in compatible, sustainable economic development while protecting the environment and conserving natural resources. Established in 1993, GEELA honors individuals, organizations and businesses that demonstrate exceptional leadership in building public-private partnerships while conserving the environment.

"As a builder of technically challenging and sustainable projects, we looked at our own office as an opportunity to provide a strong example of how private companies can contribute to the health of the environment while realizing a return on their investment within a short period of time," said Brad DesJardin, regional manager for DPR. "The additional outlay to pursue LEED was roughly 1.4 percent of the total project cost, and we are trending towards a full return in just under two years through water and energy savings--not to mention, the positive effect green buildings have on employee health and safety."

Highlights of the project's environmental achievements include:

• Recycled Materials - 70% of the building's interior materials and 20% of the building shell materials are made from recycled materials.
• Solid Waste Reduction - 75% of construction debris (210 tons) was diverted from landfills; recyclable materials were redirected back into the manufacturing process.
• Energy Conservation - The project exceeds Title 24 energy requirements by 20%.
• Renewable Resources - 50% of the building's electricity is derived from Green Power.
• Water Conservation - 50% reduction of water use through efficient landscaping, equivalent to 165,000 gallons of potable water per year.
• Waste Water Reduction - 45% reduction of waste water, equivalent to 175,000 gallons of potable water per year.
• Air Emissions - HVAC system provides 100% elimination of release of hydrocholorcarbons and 100% elimination of chemical treatment of water.
• Local Economy Support - 20% of building materials were manufactured within a five hundred mile radius of the project resulting in lower transportation costs and support of the local economy.

In addition, more than 50 organizations have toured the facility and participate in DPR's green seminars, including the American Institute of Architects, Northern California Power Agency, the Construction Specifications Institute, the U.S. Green Building Council, DPR customers, and numerous private and public sector colleges and universities.

About DPR Construction, Inc.

Consistently ranked as one of the top general contractors in the country, DPR Construction, Inc. specializes in technically challenging and environmentally complex projects for the advanced technology, biopharmaceutical, corporate office and healthcare markets. A privately held, employee-owned company, DPR has grown to more than $1.3 billion in annual revenue in 2003 since its founding in 1990, making it a great story of entrepreneurial success and continuously looks for opportunities to improve the construction delivery process through collaboration and technology. In addition to being a leader in sustainable construction, the forward-thinking company currently has one of the best safety records of any general contractor in the nation and leads the industry in 4-D modeling/virtual building. For more information, please visit http://www.dprinc.com.