May 24, 2017 | Malvern, PA USA

Saint-Gobain Renews Its Commitment to the U.S. Department of Energy's Better Buildings, Better Plants Program

On the heels of winning the U.S. Department of Energy’s 2017 Better Practice Award for the company’s Waste, Water and Energy Program, the world’s largest building materials company pledges to achieve energy savings of 20 percent by 2027
Malvern, PA., May 24, 2017Saint-Gobain, one of the world’s largest building material companies and manufacturer of innovative material solutions, announced its renewed commitment to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Better Plants Program, an initiative of the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, and the Better Buildings Initiative, which works with leading manufacturers to improve energy efficiency to drive cost savings for the industrial sector. The company pledged to achieve an energy savings of 20 percent over the next 10 years.

Saint-Gobain joined the Program when the Energy Department launched it in 2011, committing to reduce the company’s energy consumption by 20 percent by 2020 at its U.S.-based plants, but after making significant reductions over the first few years of the program, realized it would still likely fall short of the 20 percent energy reduction goal. Despite this, energy conservation has continued to be a chief priority for the company, and as a result, the company recommitted to the program. Saint-Gobain Corporation President and CEO Thomas Kinisky signed the renewed pledge to demonstrate Saint-Gobain’s commitment to saving energy, protecting the environment and contributing to the company’s worldwide energy reduction goals. The 84 U.S. manufacturing plants of Saint-Gobain’s 132 North American sites are participating in the program and will benefit from Saint-Gobain’s partnership with the Energy Department.

In addition to the company’s renewed pledge, Saint-Gobain was also recognized on May 15 as a winner of the Energy Department’s 2017 Better Practice Award for the company’s Water, Waste and Energy (WWE) Program, which encourages more than 130 Saint-Gobain manufacturing sites to reduce their environmental impact. Established in 2016 by the Saint-Gobain Environmental, Health and Safety Department, the company’s WWE Program highlights practical and effective solutions for increasing the sustainability of sites and recognizes the top-performing locations for their achievements.

“Saint-Gobain believes reducing energy consumption is more than just good business – it also helps to drive innovation and improve the communities where we live and work,” said Kinisky. “Our renewed commitment to the Better Plants Program as well as our internal WWE Program will give our company the ammunition to further our energy savings goals, increase the sustainability of our operations and reduce the carbon footprint of our manufacturing facilities.”

Launched by President Obama in December 2011, the goal of the Energy Department’s Better Plants Program is to work with leading manufacturers to boost their competitiveness through improvements in energy efficiency.

Through this program, the Energy Department is helping leading manufacturers develop energy management plans and track and report their annual progress. Today, nearly 200 industrial partners representing close to 2,600 facilities in all 50 states have committed to this program.

For more information on Saint-Gobain’s participation in the Better Plants Program, please visit http://bit.ly/2q2BW3O.

About Saint-Gobain in North America
Saint-Gobain, the world leader in sustainable environments, has designed and manufactured high-performance building materials that improve the lives of people all over the world. From the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles and the glass pyramid at the Louvre, to The Statue of Liberty and The World Trade Center, and even components that allow the Mars Rover Curiosity to seek out life on another planet, Saint-Gobain has been a part of the fabric of human history, advancement and improvement.

In North America, the company upholds this rich history of innovation by making a material difference in the spaces where people work, live, play, heal and learn. Along with its North American headquarters in Malvern, Pennsylvania, Saint-Gobain has approximately 150 locations in North America and more than 14,000 employees. In the United States and Canada, Saint-Gobain reported sales of approximately $5.8 billion in 2016. Experience our innovation, wonders and advancements by visiting www.saint-gobain-northamerica.com and connect with Saint-Gobain North America on Facebook and Twitter.

Press Contacts:
Saint-Gobain in North America
Dina Silver Pokedoff, APR
610-893-5518 (office)
489-919-2103 (mobile)

Brownstein Group for Saint-Gobain in North America
Shari Rosen
267-238-4132 (office)
srosen@brownsteingroup.com