Jackson EMC Partners with Southface Institute
to Offer the Right Choice® for New Homeowners

For Immediate Release April 12, 2004

Building on a 30-year history of supporting energy efficient construction, Jackson Electric Membership Corporation (EMC) is partnering with the energy-efficiency experts at Atlanta's Southface Energy Institute to provide the latest in new home performance testing and guaranteed energy savings.

"Buying a new home is a big decision. We know today's buyers want homes that are environmentally friendly and that will be both comfortable and economical for years to come. Jackson EMC and our partners at Southface Energy Institute will help homebuyers make the right choice with our new Right Choicesm home program," says Jackson EMC President & CEO Randall Pugh.

"Jackson EMC's new home energy efficiency program is a perfect fit for the Southface team," says Dennis Creech, Executive Director of Southface Energy Institute, a recognized leader in energy efficiency. "Both organizations are dedicated to energy efficiency, quality home building and homeowner comfort. Right Choice is a great way to improve the environment and save homeowners money on their utility bills."

Homes built under the new Right Choice program offer:

• Guaranteed energy savings
• Guaranteed comfort and reliability
• Guaranteed energy code compliance confirmed by high-tech performance testing

Each Right Choice home is covered by a three-year energy warranty guaranteeing that the energy cost to heat and cool the house will be below a specified amount each year. Right Choice homes also feature a one-year comfort warranty that guarantees that each room will stay within three degrees of the thermostat setting. Right Choice homeowners are eligible for Jackson EMC's lowest rate, a rate designed to encourage energy efficient construction.

As is true of all new homes in Georgia, Right Choice homes must meet the requirements of the Georgia Energy Code, one of the nation's most energy efficient. Performance testing sets Right Choice homes apart, ensuring energy code compliance is not left to overworked contractors and building inspectors. It's guaranteed.

All Right Choice homes feature electric heat pumps, the most efficient way to heat and cool homes in Georgia's climate. Southface calculates the heating and cooling loads for the house based on industry standards to ensure that the home's heat pump is properly sized for the home's needs and will work at peak efficiency. During construction, Southface technicians inspect for proper air sealing and duct installation, as well as pressure test the duct system.

When the home is complete, state-of-the art diagnostic equipment tests the home's energy-efficiency. This includes a blower door test for air tightness and an e-Scan test of the heating and air conditioning system. The e-Scan test measures airflow in each room and sends the information wirelessly to a laptop computer. Then sophisticated software analyzes the overall performance of the system. The e-Scan test confirms that airflow to each room is sufficient to ensure comfort.

"For 65 years, Jackson EMC has helped its members live better," says Pugh. "We created the Right Choice program because we believe it will allow us to offer state-of-the-art home testing technology that will help us better ensure quality and consistency. Right Choice reflects our members' lifestyles, their desire for comfort and savings. We are very pleased to be able to offer the Right Choice to new homeowners."

About Jackson EMC
Jackson Electric Membership Corporation (www.jacksonemc.com), Georgia's largest electric cooperative and one of the largest in the United States, is headquartered 55 miles northeast of Atlanta in Jefferson, Ga., and serves more than 178,000 customers in 10 counties in Northeast Georgia, including the fast-growing I-85 corridor.

About Southface Energy Institute
Since 1978, the Atlanta-based Southface Energy Institute (www.southface.org) has earned a national reputation and awards for education, research and advocacy in energy, building science and environmental technologies.

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