The 2006 Gold Nugget Awards program has bestowed a Grand Award on Pardee Homes’ Portico Plan Three at Pacific Highlands Ranch. PCBC 2006, home building’s premier conference and trade show, celebrated award winners June 22nd in San Francisco’s Moscone Center. A PCBC signature event, the Gold Nugget is the oldest and largest program of its kind in the United States, honoring creative achievement in architectural design and land use. Portico Plan Three received the Grand Award for Best Single Family Detached Home in 1700 square feet and over on a compact lot, and Pardee Homes’ Arabella Plan Three, also at Pacific Highlands Ranch, earned an Award of Merit for architectural design on a conventional homesite.

“These honors reflect Pardee Homes’ focus on exceptional design and location, with every winner created by a leading architectural firm and situated in a master-planned community,” said Pardee Homes President and CEO Mike McGee. “And we are proud to note the Merit honors for our commitment to stylish homes that are also energy-efficient and resource-conserving.”

Portico at Pacific Highlands Ranch has attracted many energy-conscious homebuyers who appreciate the added benefits of living in an ENERGY STAR® certified home where homes typically use 30% less energy than those built to standard federal codes and 15% less than homes built to California’s stringent requirements. Included ENERGY STAR® features, such as spectrally selective glass, improved insulation and tighter ducts all add up to reduced energy loss, improved heating and cooling efficiencies, and very real savings. For even more savings, buyers can select additional features, such as solar electric power systems with photovoltaic cells, tankless water heaters, carpet made from recycled materials and extra insulation.

Priced from the mid-$700,000s, Portico offers four charming floor plans in approximately 2,165 to 2,408 square feet, with three to four bedrooms, two-and-one-half to three baths and an array of options that allow for personalization.

Portico includes many of today’s most wanted features, such as dramatic ceilings, stately entry foyers, fireplaces and spacious master bedroom suites with luxurious bathrooms, private dressing areas and walk-in closets. The gourmet kitchens have convenient food preparation islands, spacious food storage pantries and a General Electric® Profile™ appliance package with microwave oven, 30” self-cleaning oven, ENERGY STAR® dishwasher and 36” five-burner cooktop. Each home at Portico also comes complete with a fully integrated, multi-media wiring system, including numerous types of pre-configured outlets such as high-speed Category 5 wiring and coaxial cable configured for video, telephone, data and networking capabilities.

Priced from the mid $700,000s, Arabella features elegant, two-story living in a selection of three floor plans that range from approximately 2,007 to 2,453 square feet. Homes have three to four bedrooms and two-and-one-half to four baths, exquisite interior touches, family-embracing floor plans and Pardee’s exclusive LIVINGSMART® comprehensive program of earth-friendly features and options that encourage conservation or use recycled or sustainable resources.

Other features include a family room fireplace, media niche, second floor laundry room, large food storage pantry, dual-paned spectrally selective glass windows and a spacious master bedroom suite with luxurious bathroom, private dressing area and walk-in closet. The gourmet kitchen has a convenient food preparation island, European-styled raised-panel maple cabinet doors with furniture legs and a General Electric Profile appliance package with microwave oven, 30” built-in thermal self-cleaning oven, “Quiet Power” ENERGY STAR® dishwasher, 36” five-burner cooktop and high performance range hood.

All homes at Arabella are wired for tomorrow with a comprehensive plan for multimedia and technology needs, and every new Pardee home is certified by ComfortWise(SM) to earn the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR® seal for energy savings. In addition to the many standard features included with a new Arabella home, Pardee offers a wide variety of customizing optional features. Choices such as upgraded stainless steel GE Profile and Monogram® kitchen appliances, Viking® Professional Series appliances, decorative ceramic tile, stone, tile or slab countertop materials, home theaters, ceiling beams, crown molding and French doors are available.

As part of the emerging Pacific Highlands Ranch master-planned community, Portico and Arabella are located in one of northern San Diego County’s largest coastal sites. Pacific Highlands Ranch has been developed with an environmental sensitivity that appeals to today’s energy-conscious buyers. This premier community, just east of Carmel Valley, offers a prime location, highly rated schools and a number of thoughtfully planned and proposed amenities, including an expanse of preserved habitat. Plans for the future include a multi-use trail system for hiking and biking, an exceptional private recreation center and a Village Center with a complement of everyday shopping conveniences.

Pardee Homes won additional Gold Nugget kudos for its environmental focus, earning Awards of Merit for Portico at Pacific Highlands Ranch in San Diego as Sustainable Residential Neighborhood and for Santa Rosa at Pacific Highlands Ranch as a California Green Builder Residential Project.

Established in 1921, Pardee Homes is one of the oldest building companies in California and is noted for superior master-planning concepts, quality homes, responsive customer service and dedication to the educational and civic goals of the communities in which it builds.