Home Properties and National Grid Partnership Promote Energy Conservation

WALTHAM, Mass., Oct. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Home Properties, Inc. (NYSE: HME) today announced a partnership with Boston's National Grid power company that will replace current light fixtures in approximately 1,400 apartments and common areas at seven Boston-area apartment communities with energy-conserving compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs).

Not only will this partnership mean energy-efficient lighting for residents at Home Properties' Highland House, Liberty Place, Stone Ends, The Heights at Marlborough, The Meadows at Marlborough, The Townhomes of Beverly and Westwoods apartment communities, the upgrades are being made at no cost to residents.

"Home Properties' residents appreciate our proactive approach to making their homes 'greener' and they'll also notice a meaningful savings in their electricity bill because these changes will result in lower energy consumption – a benefit to everyone involved," said Marc Dykes, Senior Construction Manager for Home Properties.

The CFLs to be installed in each new fixture have a 6,000-15,000* hour usage range, a dramatic energy savings from a typical incandescent light bulb with a shorter lifespan of only 750-2,500* hours. While individual apartments will receive upgraded fixtures and CFL bulbs, Home Properties has also researched ways to reduce energy consumption in all common areas, requesting that National Grid install motion sensors and timers to activate lighting only when these areas are in use.

"Energy conservation continues to be a priority at our apartment communities, as shown by this unique partnership with National Grid," remarked Dykes.

National Grid will begin installing the fixtures and CFL bulbs at these Home Properties' Boston-area apartment communities in October 2010.

Home Properties is a publicly traded apartment real estate investment trust that owns, operates, develops, acquires and rehabilitates apartment communities primarily in selected Northeast and Mid-Atlantic markets.  Currently, Home Properties operates 116 communities containing 39,498 apartment units.  Of these, 38,630 units in 115 communities are owned directly by the Company and 868 units are partially owned and managed by the Company as general partner.  For more information, visit Home Properties' website at homeproperties.com.

*SOURCE: www.energysavers.gov (U.S. Department of Energy)

SOURCE Home Properties, Inc.