Employee Q&A: Our Decarbonization Journey

Our people making a difference is a series featured throughout Owens Corning’s 2023 Sustainability Report.

Having received his bachelor’s degree in India, then a master’s degree and a doctorate in Finland, Ayush Mishra brings a global perspective to his work here at Owens Corning. Ayush started as a Process Development Engineer in 2020 before moving into his current role as a Global Decarbonization Lead in our Insulation business. This move toward helping the company remove embodied carbon from our products is an appropriate one for Ayush, as he has long had a deep connection with the natural world. He says the ability to combine his interest in research with the potential to have a positive impact on the environment makes this the ideal job for him, and his enthusiasm shows through here.

On manufacturing products with sustainability in mind 

With our insulation, we are in a position where our products are making the world a better place as they make buildings more energy efficient. At the same time, we are making sure that we are producing those products with the minimum negative impact on the environment as well. One project in particular is very interesting — at our plant in Hässleholm, Sweden, we have reduced coke consumption by electrifying part of the cupola. We are able to operate the cupola using less coke without sacrificing product quality or production capacity. The beauty of this is that we also have cupolas in Europe, the U.S., and Asia, and this technology can be used across all those plants.

On collaboration within a global corporation 

One thing I really like is the collaborative nature of the work here at Owens Corning. Because I work in this global role, I need to connect across all our Insulation business sites. I have always found that people really care for one another at Owens Corning — that’s been one takeaway from my work here. People are always curious and willing to learn, and I have that same attitude in my role. I need to understand all the production processes to determine the causes of CO2 emissions, and the people I work with around the world have been very open to collaboration. They try to answer as many questions as possible, and they share the same passion for sustainability.

On Europe’s decarbonization 

The drive for sustainability is very strong in Europe, and even within Europe, the Nordic region is at the forefront. I think I’m really lucky to be based in a place where this is very much the focus of our work every day. But I see the passion in the colleagues that I interact with from across the ocean. My colleagues really understand the importance of this, and I think that’s one of the unique things about working for Owens Corning. The work we are doing here in Europe will have benefits in regions that are at different stages in their decarbonization journey. We’re all in this together.