TOLEDO, Ohio, May 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Owens Corning today announced that it has registered with the U.S. Green Building Council to pursue a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) New Construction (NC) certification for its Gresham Ore. foam insulation facility. The Gresham facility would join the company's Toledo, Ohio world headquarters in being LEED certified.
"Our decision to pursue LEED certification of the Gresham facility reflects our strong commitment to sustainability," said Kim Howard, vice president and general manager, foam insulation. "As a leader in energy efficiency and greenhouse gas reduction, it's important that we have a building in Gresham that is on the forefront of sustainable construction."
Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) in 1998, LEED promotes a national standard for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings that protect the environment. LEED certification recognizes innovative building designs that are environmentally responsible business models for energy efficiency and resource conservation. For more information about LEED certification, visit http://www.usgbc.org/.
"Pursuing LEED certification for this facility is not an easy task," said David Posada, sustainability coordinator, GBD Architects. "Not only have very few industrial manufacturing facilities achieved certification, but Owens Corning is also modifying a building that has already been built to improve the environmental performance."
Owens Corning is also improving the storm water management, indoor air quality and energy efficiency of the Gresham facility, as well as selecting raw materials that have greater recycled content and come from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified forests and local or regional sources.
About Owens Corning
Owens Corning 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 54 consecutive years, Owens Corning is committed to driving sustainability through delivering solutions, transforming markets and enhancing lives. Founded in 1938, Owens Corning is a market-leading innovator of glass fiber technology with sales of $5 billion in 2007 and 19,000 employees in 26 countries on five continents. Additional information is available at http://www.owenscorning.com/.
