SHAW FACILITY EARNS EPA ENERGY STAR DESIGNATION
03.03.2010
Dalton, Georgia –
Shaw Industries’ Plant 95 has earned the prestigious US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ENERGY STAR designation. A national symbol for superior energy efficiency and environmental protection, buildings with the ENERGY STAR rank in the top 25 percent of energy efficient facilities nationwide. Commercial buildings that earn the ENERGY STAR use on average 35 percent less energy than typical buildings, and also release approximately 35 percent less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
“Improving the energy efficiency of our nation’s buildings is critical to preserving our environment and natural resources,” said Jean Lupinacci, chief of EPA’s ENERGY STAR Commercial and Industrial branch. “From office buildings to hotels, supermarkets to schools, the ENERGY STAR distinguishes those organizations who are taking environmental responsibility into their own hands.”
“Earning ENERGY STAR for Dalton’s first privately owned building is a tremendous accomplishment for Shaw and for our community,” said Jason Bowling, Shaw Director of Corporate Facilities. “Strategically managing energy consumption across all of our corporate facilities is an integral part of our sustainability commitment and a significant means of maximizing energy efficiency and limiting greenhouse gas emissions for our entire organization. It’s also a valuable opportunity for us to demonstrate and drive best practices at our facilities for environmental responsibility.”
Achieving ENERGY STAR was a 12-month process that involved monitoring, analyzing and adjusting every aspect of the building’s energy consumption, according to Shaw Facilities Engineer Craig Hyde one member of the ENERGY STAR project team. The team hopes to build on the achievement by taking other Shaw buildings through the ENERGY STAR process, he added.
According to Shaw Vice President of Sustainability Rick Ramirez, earning ENERGY STAR for one of Shaw’s facilities is another demonstration of the company’s environmental leadership.
“Successfully improving the energy efficiency of our facilities is one of the most fundamental steps we can take towards achieving our corporate environmental goals, which include a commitment to reducing our overall energy intensity by 25 percent by 2017,” said Shaw Vice President of Sustainability Rick Ramirez. “Achieving the ENERGY STAR designation is another significant step towards this goal, and evidence of the comprehensive nature of Shaw’s sustainability commitment and leadership.”
ENERGY STAR is awarded to buildings that score 75 or higher on the EPA’s national energy performance rating system. The system provides a 1-100 scale that helps organizations assess how efficiently their buildings use energy relative to similar buildings nationwide. Shaw Plant 95 scored an 87 on the scale, indicating that it is more energy efficient than 87 percent of the similar buildings indexed in the United States.
Commercial buildings that can earn ENERGY STAR include offices, bank branches, financial centers, retail stores, courthouses, hospitals, hotels, K-12 schools, medical offices, supermarkets, dormitories, and warehouses.
About ENERGY STAR
ENERGY STAR was introduced by EPA in 1992 as a voluntary, market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency. Today, the ENERGY STAR label can be found on more than 60 different kinds of products, new homes, and commercial and industrial buildings. Products and buildings that have earned the ENERGY STAR designation prevent greenhouse gas emissions by meeting strict energy-efficiency specifications set by the government. Last year alone, Americans, with the help of ENERGY STAR, saved about $19 billion on their energy bills while reducing greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of 29 million vehicles. For more information about ENERGY STAR, visit www.enegystar.gov.
About the Shaw Green Edge
Sustainability through Innovation™ That’s the Shaw Green Edge®. It’s our commitment to create the most beautiful – and sustainable – flooring in the world. And to help create a better planet for our customers, our people and our communities in the process. Rooted in our drive to continuously improve every aspect of our business, the Shaw Green Edge guides everything we do, every day – from maintaining the highest ethical standards to safeguarding the health and well‐being of our people and our communities, to conserving energy and water and recycling raw materials, to designing cradle to cradle products that can be remanufactured over and over again. Because setting the standard for environmental excellence, social responsibility and product design is more than our responsibility. It’s also good business. And it’s our legacy.
About Shaw Industries
Shaw Industries Group, Inc., a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, Inc., is the world’s largest carpet manufacturer and a leading floor covering provider with more than $5 billion in annual sales and 26,000 associates. Headquartered in Dalton, Ga., the company manufactures and distributes carpeting, rugs, hardwood, laminate and ceramic tile for residential and commercial product applications worldwide. A recognized leader in environmental stewardship, Shaw has implemented hundreds of sustainability initiatives and cradle to cradle design solutions collectively termed the Shaw Green Edge. For more information, visit www.shawgreenedge.com.
