March 26, 2010
VALLEY FORGE, PA. – CertainTeed Corporation and its sister Saint-Gobain companies in North America are honored to be selected for the second straight year as a 2010 EnergyStar Partner of the Year for Energy Management by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This award recognizes all of Saint-Gobain’s North American businesses, including CertainTeed, for their accomplishments and leadership in reducing greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency.
In 2009, Saint-Gobain’s energy-use reduction equated to a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions released to the atmosphere of more than 70,000 tons, a savings equivalent to the amount of energy required to manufacture wallboard to cover nearly 45,000 homes or insulate 100,000 homes.
“CertainTeed is committed to preserving our environment through sustainable manufacturing and developing products that will improve energy efficiency,” said Peter Dachowski, president and CEO for CertainTeed Corporation. “We are pleased with our employees’ dedication to energy management which has made this year’s EnergyStar Partner of Year award possible.”
Well known for the manufacture of sustainable building products, environmental responsibility also plays a leading role in CertainTeed’s daily operations. The company’s insulation facility in Chowchilla, Calif., recently completed an energy efficiency project that will reduce overall plant energy consumption by 274kW per year, which is equal to the electricity use of approximately 25 homes per year. Energy savings were identified that will not only reduce greenhouse emissions but will yield productivity improvements as well. CertainTeed is the only fiberglass insulation manufacturer awarded the EnergyStar Partner of the Year.
In 2009, the ceilings plant in L’Anse, Mich., demonstrated a perfect management of resources with local electric company, Warden Electric. Converting from coal, oil and natural gas fuel to a biomass powered plant, Warden Electric transfers the excess steam from the plant to CertainTeed for use in its production in mineral fiber ceiling tiles, displacing the use of natural gas, previously used to run the product dryers. Additionally, CertainTeed provides scrap generated in its production process to the power plant to be burned for additional green biomass input. More than 400 tons of material per day is diverted from landfills to produce additional green energy resources for public use.