Lowe's Repeats as ENERGY STAR(R) Sustained Excellence Winner

Lowe's is only company ever to win EPA's top honor for energy-efficiency achievements in retail

MOORESVILLE, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has named Lowe's winner of the ENERGY STAR^(R) Sustained Excellence Award in Retail for the second consecutive year. The 2011 award recognizes Lowe's long-standing leadership as a retailer of energy-efficient products. Lowe's will receive the EPA's most prestigious honor at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., on April 12.

Lowe's carries ENERGY STAR items in all eligible categories it sells. (Photo: Business Wire)

Lowe's, the only company to win the Sustained Excellence Award in the retail category, is being honored for outstanding achievements year after year in customer outreach, employee training and product selection. Lowe's has won nine consecutive ENERGY STAR awards (2003-2011), including four Retail Partner of the Year awards and the 2010 Sustained Excellence Award for its industry-leading commitment to energy efficiency.

"Winning the EPA's highest honor for the second consecutive year demonstrates the value Lowe's employees place on helping our customers save energy and money," said Robert A. Niblock, Lowe's chairman and CEO. "We've raised the bar every year since becoming an ENERGY STAR partner in 2001. The Sustained Excellence Award is a reflection of that ongoing commitment."

More than 20,000 partners across the U.S. participate in the ENERGY STAR program. Last year, Lowe's became the first to win the Sustained Excellence Award for product retailing since the award's inception in 2004. In addition, the EPA honored Lowe's as the 2010 WaterSense^(R) Partner of the Year for its leadership in promoting water efficiency. Lowe's is the first retailer to win the WaterSense honor in consecutive years.

Lowe's has successfully integrated ENERGY STAR qualified products into programs that have helped consumers reduce utility bills. According to EPA estimates, Lowe's sold enough ENERGY STAR appliances and other products in 2010 to save consumers more than $210 million on their energy bills compared with non-ENERGY STAR products. Consumers can find everyday ways to save energy and money at Lowes.com. Last year, ENERGY STAR appliances received 25 million products views at Lowes.com

Lowe's achievements in delivering energy-efficiency savings to customers in 2010 included:

    --  Increasing the quantity and variety of ENERGY STAR products available in
        stores and online. Lowe's carries ENERGY STAR items in all eligible
        categories it sells, and Lowe's has more ENERGY STAR appliances in stock
        than any other national home improvement retailer.

    --  Promoting ENERGY STAR as a way to save energy and money to an estimated
        15 million customers per week. Lowe's efforts included increased
        employee training, enhanced store signage and a new
        Lowes.com/EfficientHome site with more ENERGY STAR product catalogs.
    --  Increasing national promotions for ENERGY STAR products and support for
        tax-free events. Lowe's collaborated with vendors on promotions and
        partnered with more than 45 utility companies and other sponsors to plan
        energy-efficiency rebate events.
    --  Expanding the Lowe's Energy Center nationwide to provide a one-stop
        destination for energy-saving products. The in-store Energy Center puts
        solar technology alongside ENERGY STAR qualified products such as CFLs.

"Lowe's long-term leadership and commitment to energy efficiency demonstrates the types of accomplishments that we can all achieve in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and protecting our global environment," said Elizabeth Craig, acting director of EPA'sOffice of Atmospheric Programs. "We look forward to their continued partnership and leadership."

By choosing ENERGY STAR products and solutions, the typical household can save up to 30 percent on energy bills, or about $700 a year. Last year, Americans with the help of ENERGY STAR saved $18 billion on their energy bills and reduced greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of 34 million vehicles. Find out more about Lowe's ENERGY STAR partnership and other environmental initiatives at Lowes.com/SocialResponsibility. For more on simple ways to save energy, water and money, visit Lowes.com/EfficientHome.

About Lowe's

With fiscal year 2010 sales of $48.8 billion, Lowe's Companies, Inc. is a FORTUNE^(R) 50 company that serves approximately 15 million customers a week at more than 1,725 home improvement stores in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Founded in 1946 and based in Mooresville, N.C., Lowe's is the second-largest home improvement retailer in the world. For more information, visit Lowes.com.

    Source: Lowe's Companies, Inc.