2004 Media Releases & Alerts

For Immediate Release
Contact: Kimberly Warren

Toyota Motor Sales, USA Executive to Keynote EnergyValue Housing Award Dinner Ceremony

Sanford Smith, Corporate Manager of Real Estate and Facilities, to Present Cross-Industry Examples of Energy-Efficient Business Practices

December 15, 2004, Upper Marlboro, Md. - As energy costs continue to rise, consumers are looking for companies to help them find ways to reduce their energy consumption. A group of 24 industry professionals who are leading these efforts will be honored with EnergyValue Housing Awards on January 13, 2005, at the 2005 International Builders' Show. The EnergyValue Housing Award (EVHA) program recognizes builders who voluntarily integrate energy efficiency into the design, construction, and marketing of their homes. It also educates the home building industry and the public about successful approaches to energy-efficient construction. Sanford Smith, corporate manager of real estate and facilities at Toyota Motor Sales, USA, will keynote the EVHA dinner ceremony.

In his position at Toyota, Smith heads a department of 40 associates involved in the planning, development, and operations of all facilities projects. His portfolio consists of a diverse range of facility types, including office space, ports, and distribution centers. His department's leading edge work on environmental issues has been recognized with Corenet's (Corporate Real Estate Network) 2003 Global Innovator's Award, as well as honors from the American Institute of Architects, International Interior Design Association, International Facilities Management Association, and the U.S. Green Building Council. Smith recently received the Environmental Leadership Award from California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, the prestigious Corporate Real Estate Leadership Award from the editors of Site Selection magazine, and was selected as the Corporate Real Estate Executive of the Year by the Los Angeles chapter of Corenet.

Before joining Toyota in 1990, Smith worked in both an architectural and developmental capacity for The Irvine Company. He then spent four years at the University of California at Irvine, where he worked on public/private real estate development. Smith, a registered architect, is an active member of the Partner's Circle of the School of Environmental Design at Cal Poly Pomona, Cornell University's International Workplace Studies Program, and the Pennsylvania State University's PACE Program.

NAHB Research Center president, Michael Luzier said, "We are excited that Mr. Smith agreed to participate in this event, given his high-caliber professionalism and ability to both lead and innovate. His company's extraordinary efforts to incorporate energy efficiency and environmental consciousness in its daily business activities and strategic planning serve as a model across many industries."

In a recent speech, Fujio Cho, president of Toyota, named the environment as one of three key business priorities, along with globalization and development of human resources. "In the past, being an environmentally conscious company was a luxury... but not anymore," he said. Cho noted that the Toyota Prius has passed 200,000 units in global sales, setting the stage for further hybrid progress. "Energy use at our North American plants is down 17 percent since 2000," he said, "and four of our engine and parts plants are at zero landfill status."

The EVHA program is managed by the NAHB Research Center, and operated in partnership with the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and the U.S. Department of Energy through the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Award sponsors include Building Green, Inc., Icynene, Inc., FannieMae, the Vinyl Institute, and the AAMA Vinyl Materials Council. For more information on the EVHA program, contact Tom Kenney, EVHA program manager, at (800) 638-8556, ext. 6246, or contact the EVHA via email.

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12/04

The NAHB Research Center, located in Upper Marlboro, Md., promotes innovation in housing technology to improve the quality, durability, affordability, and environmental performance of homes and home building products. Created over 40 years ago as a subsidiary of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), the NAHB Research Center has established itself as the source for reliable, objective information and research on housing construction and development issues. Through its various testing and certification services, the Research Center seal is internationally-recognized as a mark of product quality and an assurance of product performance.

NOTE TO EDITORS ON STYLE USAGE: To identify this company and its work correctly, first reference should be "NAHB Research Center." If clarification of the acronym is necessary, the phrase, "a subsidiary of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)," can follow. In subsequent mentions, "Research Center" is the only acceptable and accurate alternative reference.