DALLAS, TX - The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded Harwood International its Commercial Real Estate Energy Star Partner of the Year Award for the 2000 Energy Star BuildingsSM and Green LightsR program. The award recognizes Harwood's overall commitment to making outstanding contributions to the development and communication of energy efficient technology benefits in commercial office buildings.

The company's 185,000-square-foot Harwood International Center Phase II, located at 2728 North Harwood in uptown Dallas, was the first building in the nation to rate the highest possible score - a perfect 99 - on the Energy Star energy efficiency benchmark, and was the first in Texas to earn the Energy Star Label for Buildings.

The Energy Star Label for Buildings is an opportunity presented by EPA for businesses to improve the energy performance of facilities and significantly reduce operating expenses. For more information about the Energy Star Label for Buildings and the EPA's other voluntary energy efficiency efforts, visit www.epa.gov/buildings.