Owens Corning on July 29 released its third annual Sustainability Report outlining progress the company is making in greening its operations, greening its products and accelerating energy-efficiency improvements in the built environment. The report details the company's efforts to reduce its environmental footprint, improve the safety of its operations, promote energy efficiency in buildings and support renewable energy sources.
The full report and a downloadable summary progress report is available online at: http://sustainability.owenscorning.com/.
"Our 2008 Sustainability Report demonstrates our dedication to accelerating the use of renewable energy and energy-efficiency solutions around the world, while at the same time reducing the resource and emission intensity of manufacturing our own products," said Frank O'Brien-Bernini, chief sustainability officer of Owens Corning. "We are making steady progress and remain committed to achieving our sustainability goals."
Owens Corning is a leading manufacturer of fiberglass and foam insulation products that significantly improve the energy efficiency of buildings. Homes and buildings consume 40 percent of the world's energy, including more than 70 percent of the electricity in the United States. Properly insulating homes and commercial buildings can save 1.7 billion megawatt hours per day of energy, equivalent to up to 2.7 million barrels of oil per day in the United States. Owens Corning glass fiber reinforcements are also used in making wind turbine blades that generate renewable energy worldwide.
Results highlighted in the report include:
· Raising public awareness of the need and opportunity to improve the energy efficiency of homes and buildings, including encouraging homeowners to take advantage of tax credits for energy-efficient improvements and examine their eligibility for weatherization assistance
· Continuing reduction of the company's energy intensity with a decline of 17 percent since 2002
· Continuing footprint reductions by applying sustainable innovations, including advanced glass melting technology, while integrating the 16 facilities acquired as part of the company's composites acquisition in 2007
· Becoming the first corporate supporter of the Pickens Plan and expanding the plan to include a focus on increasing energy efficiency in homes and buildings
· Installing North America's largest Conserval Engineering's SolarWall solar air heating system at the company's Toronto facility to reduce energy consumption
· Earning U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) Star status for outstanding safety programs at the company's Denver, Colo., and Tiffin, Ohio facilities
Included in the report are details about Owens Corning's progress toward its 2012 goals set for intensity reductions in energy and water use; waste to landfill and greenhouse gas, particulate matter, nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compound emissions.
Other activities highlighted in the report include Owens Corning's continued focus on improving safety. In 2008, the company reduced its recordable injury rate by 36 percent. The company also actively served local communities through volunteerism, philanthropy and good stewardship, including supporting Habitat for Humanity efforts and engaging in Junior Achievement activities. Additional examples and data can be found in the comprehensive report available online.
Owens Corning's Sustainability Report is consistent with Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) guidelines known as GRI-G3. GRI's Sustainability Reporting Guidelines set a globally applicable framework for reporting the economic, environmental and social dimensions of an organization's activities, products and services.
About Owens Corning
Owens Corning is a leading global producer of residential and commercial building materials, glass fiber reinforcements and engineered materials for composite systems. A Fortune 500 Company for 55 consecutive years, Owens Corning is committed to driving sustainability by delivering solutions, transforming markets and enhancing lives. Founded in 1938, Owens Corning is a market-leading innovator of glass-fiber technology with sales of $6 billion in 2008 and about 16,500 employees in 30 countries on five continents.
