Owens Corning Insulation Products Are First to Be Certified as Made With 100% Wind-Powered Electricity and Reduced Embodied Carbon
Originally published on Owens Corning
TOLEDO, Ohio, November 9, 2017 /3BL Media/ - Owens Corning (NYSE: OC) today announced three types of commercial and residential insulation, independently certified as made with renewable energy, are available for specification and purchase. These products represent the first ever to have met the requirements of SCS Global Services’ certification protocol to validate electricity used to make them is 100% wind powered, which, in turn, reduces their carbon footprint.
This certification follows the power purchase agreements Owens Corning signed in 2015 that enabled new wind capacity in Texas and Oklahoma. Both wind farms came online in late 2016 and can generate 1.1 million megawatt hours of electricity per year. For every megawatt hour of renewable electricity generated, the company receives one Renewable Energy Credit (REC). It then applies the RECs toward the manufacture of more sustainable products.
While the new offering helps Owens Corning reduce its carbon footprint – its stated goal is a 50% reduction by 2020 over its 2010 baseline – the certified insulation products, made with 100% wind energy, give commercial architects and specifiers, builders, and even homeowners the option of lower-carbon products to build greener structures. For architects, the products will help them design buildings with reduced life cycle impact and achieve the recognized goals of the Architecture 2030 Challenge and U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED certification.
“Reducing the embodied carbon in building products has long been a discussion across the building industry,” said Frank O’Brien-Bernini, Owens Corning vice president and chief sustainability officer. “We’re excited to see it come to life through certified products made with renewable energy and reduced embodied carbon.
“This next-step in our sustainability journey demonstrates our commitment to our company’s value of expanding our impact through sustainability, by reducing our environmental footprint and growing our positive influence, or handprint,” said O’Brien-Bernini. “We are continually seeking ways to deliver on that commitment.”
The three types of insulation available with the wind power certification are:
- EcoTouch® Insulation
- Thermafiber® RainBarrier® Continuous Insulation
- Unbonded Loosefill Insulation
Embodied carbon refers to the carbon dioxide equivalent emitted throughout the product life-cycle, including raw material extraction, transportation, and manufacture.
Owens Corning Senior Scientist Nassreen Olang will share more during the Greenbuild conference this week in Boston as she presents, “Producing and Specifying Reduced Embodied Carbon Products.” Olang and other company representatives will be available to answer questions. A presentation will be given at the SCS Booth, Booth #1418, on Thursday, Nov. 9 at 10:30 a.m. ET.
Requests for and more information about these products should be directed to sustainability@owenscorning.com.
For information about the third-party verification process, please visit www.scsglobalservices.com.
About SCS Global Services
SCS Global Services (SCS) has been providing global leadership in third-party environmental and sustainability certification, auditing, testing, and standards development for three decades. Our programs span a wide cross-section of industries, recognizing achievements in green building, product manufacturing, food and agriculture, forestry, retail, and more. We are accredited to provide services under a wide range of nationally and internationally recognized certification programs. Consistent with our mission, we are a chartered benefit corporation, reflecting our commitment to socially and environmentally responsible business practices. Learn more at www.scsglobalservices.com.
About Owens Corning
Owens Corning (NYSE: OC) develops, manufactures and markets insulation, roofing and fiberglass composites. Global in scope and human in scale, the company’s market-leading businesses use their deep expertise in materials, manufacturing and building science to develop products and systems that save energy and improve comfort in commercial and residential buildings. Through its glass reinforcements business, the company makes thousands of products lighter, stronger and more durable. Ultimately, Owens Corning people and products make the world a better place. Based in Toledo, Ohio, Owens Corning posted 2016 sales of $5.7 billion and employs about 17,000 people in 33 countries. It has been a Fortune 500® company for 63 consecutive years. For more information, please visit www.owenscorning.com.
