Owens Corning Issues 2008 Sustainability Report
July 29 2009 - 3:29PM
PR Newswire (US)
Company Outlines Results in Reducing Its Environmental Footprint,
Promoting Energy Efficiency in Buildings and Advancing Renewable
Energy Solutions TOLEDO, Ohio, July 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --
Owens Corning (NYSE:OC) today 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 (NYSE:OC) 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. Additional information is available
at http://www.owenscorning.com/. DATASOURCE: Owens Corning CONTACT:
Investor & Media Relations, Scott Deitz, +1-419-248-8935 Web
Site: http://www.owenscorning.com/
http://sustainability.owenscorning.com/
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