GM Earns ‘Biggest Loser’ Recognition in the Michigan Battle of the Buildings

DETROIT, April 26, 2019 /3BL Media/ - General Motors has won the title of 2018 Biggest Loser in the Michigan Battle of the Buildings competition for its energy and water reduction efforts at three Michigan sites. Over 1,000 buildings across the state competed in the year-long energy and water reduction competition hosted by the U.S. Green Building Council of West Michigan (USGBC-WM).

Three Michigan-based GM facilities earned recognition, including:

• GM’s CCA Flint IE Lab won first place in the Warehouse/Distribution Category for 23% energy reduction.
• GM’s Grand Blanc Center received second place in the Warehouse/Distribution Category by reducing energy consumption by 20%.
• GM’s popular Heritage Center was awarded second place in the Water Category for 49% energy reduction.

The winners engaged in action throughout 2018 to successfully cut their energy waste in a variety of ways while also maintaining employee and occupant comfort and increasing productivity. GM sites consistently share best practices and implement low-cost and no-cost initiatives. Specific examples include converting lighting to LEDs, sealing up building envelope, replacing broken thermostats and gas regulators, modifying heating units to reduce outside air, reducing burners and scheduling units to maintain setpoints for occupied and unoccupied times.

“Energy and water efficiency and conservation are a team effort at General Motors, with each facility across the company contributing to goals as part of its business plan,” said Alfred J. Hildreth, global energy manager for GM. “We’re proud of our proven track record and leadership resulting from our energy and water reduction strategies, and we are honored to again receive the title of ‘Biggest Loser’ for a number of our Michigan-based facilities.”

GM’s commitment to reducing energy intensity since 2010 has eliminated 1.5 million tons in carbon emissions, equivalent to the electric use of 260,000 homes for a year. In 2010, GM committed to reducing its energy and carbon intensity by 20 percent by 2020, and as of 2017 has already met and exceeded this goal.

“Deep reductions like this are a great example of what can be accomplished when you take a deliberate approach to energy efficient operations.” said Cheri Holman, Executive Director, USGBC-WM. “Dollars saved on energy conservation will filter straight to the company’s bottom line.”

The Michigan Battle of the Buildings is sponsored by Consumers Energy, DTE Energy and the Michigan Energy Office. The battle’s 2018 winners will be recognized on April 25 at the 2019 Energy Summit, where the organization will also welcome the new 2019 competitors, engage participants in a peer-to-peer learning platform and explore different approaches by corporations, small businesses, non-profits, government and educational institutions.

For more information about the Michigan Battle of the Buildings, please visit https://michiganbattleofthebuildings.org/2019-michigan-energy-summit/.

General Motors (NYSE:GM) is committed to delivering safer, better and more sustainable ways for people to get around. General Motors, its subsidiaries and its joint venture entities sell vehicles under the Cadillac, Chevrolet, Baojun, Buick, GMC, Holden, Jiefang and Wuling brands. More information on the company and its subsidiaries, including OnStar, a global leader in vehicle safety and security services, Maven, its personal mobility brand, and Cruise, its autonomous vehicle ride-sharing company, can be found at http://www.gm.com.

About Michigan Battle of the Buildings
Michigan Battle of the Buildings has been a program of the U.S. Green Building Council of West Michigan since 2014. It is the only statewide biggest-loser styled energy competition in the country. Last year, the competitors avoided the equivalent of $7.6 million in utility costs, putting that money back into their businesses and the local economy. For more information on the program, please visit https://michiganbattleofthebuildings.org/.