Saint-Gobain Wins EPA's ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year Award for Second Straight Year

VALLEY FORGE, Pa., March 2 /PRNewswire/ -- For the second year in a row, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (http://www.epa.gov) has named Saint-Gobain as an ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year (http://www.energystar.gov) for outstanding energy management and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.  No other manufacturer of glass containers or fiber glass insulation has ever received the Partner of the Year award.

Through a wide range of energy-awareness programs, process improvements, and energy management practices in 2009, Saint-Gobain businesses in North America were able to reduce their energy intensity by 2.2 percent--equivalent to the amount of energy needed to make nearly 486 million glass bottles or enough fiber glass insulation for more than 100,000 typical U.S. homes.  The company's energy-use reduction equated to a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions released to the atmosphere of more than 70,000 tons last year.

Saint-Gobain's accomplishments will be recognized at an awards ceremony in Washington, DC, on March 18, 2010.

"We're very proud of the contributions made by the employees throughout our organization which made this award possible," says Gilles Colas, General Delegate for Saint-Gobain in North America.  "As the world leader in building materials, energy efficiency is central to our 'habitat' business strategy.  This is demonstrated in our strong focus on sustainable development and environmental responsibility in the products we supply and in our manufacturing processes.  The Partner of the Year Award underscores our commitment to limiting the environmental impact of our manufacturing processes and protecting the health of the communities where we live and work."

"Saint-Gobain is leading the fight against climate change through greater energy efficiency," says Gina McCarthy, EPA Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation.  "Saint-Gobain's robust energy management program is a model for others and affirms that energy efficiency is our most cost-effective climate strategy."

The 2010 Partner of the Year Awards recognize efforts to use energy efficiently in facility operations and to integrate superior energy management into overall organizational strategy.  Award winners are selected from more than 17,000 organizations that participate in the ENERGY STAR program.

About ENERGY STAR

ENERGY STAR was introduced by the Environmental Protection Agency in 1992 as a voluntary market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through increased energy efficiency.  Today, ENERGY STAR offers businesses and consumers energy-efficient solutions to save energy, money and help protect the environment for future generations. More than 17,000 organizations are ENERGY STAR partners committed to improving the energy efficiency of products, homes, buildings and businesses.  For more information about ENERGY STAR, visit www.energystar.gov.

About Saint-Gobain

With more than 1,000 subsidiaries in 59 countries, Saint-Gobain (http://www.saint-gobain.com/en) the world's largest manufacturer and distributor of building materials, and a leader in the production of high performance materials and glass containers.  Founded in 1665 and headquartered in Paris, Saint-Gobain had worldwide sales of $53 billion in 2009 and employs approximately 209,000 people.  In the United States and Canada, Saint-Gobain employs approximately 19,000 people, and had sales of $6.8 billion in 2009.  The company has approximately 150 manufacturing plants and more than 150 distribution outlets throughout North America.  Saint-Gobain has been an ENERGY STAR partner since 2005.

Saint-Gobain businesses include CertainTeed (Valley Forge, Pennsylvania), Norandex Building Materials Distribution (Hudson, Ohio); Saint-Gobain Abrasives (Worcester, Massachusetts); Saint-Gobain Crystals (Hiram, Ohio); Saint-Gobain Containers (Muncie, Indiana); Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics (Aurora, Ohio); Saint-Gobain Technical Fabrics (Grand Island, New York).

SOURCE Saint-Gobain Corporation