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Energy Efficiency Challenges Drive Greater Focus on Sustainability
In this dialogue, Ron Fillmore, Dow Corning global executive director
for Construction and Xiameter, and Gerrit Reinders, director, Sustainable
Energy Solutions, Johnson Controls Inc., discuss the importance of
sustainability to businesses.
How are energy-efficiency challenges driving business sustainability
initiatives?
Ron Fillmore, Dow Corning global
executive director for Construction and Xiameter | RF: I agree. As energy costs soar, companies are looking
to reduce energy requirements. Businesses now have more of an incentive to
balance energy efficiency strategies and environmental stewardship than ever
before. For example, technology leaders are exploring the potential of
photovoltaic cells, also called solar cells. These semiconductor devices
convert sunlight into electricity. In the near future, they will provide a more
energy-efficient way to power appliances, charge batteries, and operate motors.
Public-private partnerships are tackling this need. Producers, research
universities, and government agencies together are addressing the biggest
challenges to making solar energy a viable source: accessibility,
affordability, and long-term reliable performance. |
Gerrit Reinders, director, Sustainable
Energy Solutions, Johnson Controls Inc. | GR: With today’s volatile energy prices and
unprecedented awareness of the environmental impact of our addiction to oil,
it’s becoming increasingly obvious that upgrading buildings to make them
“green” is critical, particularly since green buildings are, by definition,
very resource efficient. Many local governments now require that new buildings
be constructed to green standards. This is a great thing that unfortunately
only addresses one percent of buildings; the opportunity is greatest if we also
“green” the existing building stock. For that reason, organizations are hiring
energy services companies to renew their infrastructures with more
energy-efficient equipment. Some are paying for these improvements through the
savings they generate. We’ve seen energy savings as high as 90 percent by
upgrading lighting and 60 percent by upgrading HVAC, office equipment, and
appliances. The business case for energy efficiency is clear, and there’s
widespread acceptance that doing the right thing and making money are not
conflicting strategies. |
Q. How can energy efficiency and sustainability
performance be improved in buildings?
RF: Designing buildings that bring more natural light inside,
such as skyscrapers with all-glass curtain walls, has been effective. Advanced
adhesive materials enable architects to design large, dramatic windows that
offer occupants a sense of spaciousness and a connection with nature while
reducing lighting costs. Considering how structures built for one-time events,
such as the Olympics, can be reused is another important strategy. Years ago,
these facilities were often torn down after the event. Today, athletes’
villages at Olympics events can be designed to have future lives as community
centers or residential facilities. In Lisbon, Dow Corning helped turn a
structure built for an international expo into a transport interchange for
rail, bus, and metro links thus giving it a longer life and useful purpose to
benefit the community. Back to top
GR: Sustainability must be incorporated into every decision related
to building improvements. Green buildings are evaluated over their entire
life-cycles and incorporate sustainability into every step of the process –
from building design to operations and maintenance. The U.S. Green Building
Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system,
which offers guidelines for making buildings more sustainable, has become the
most widely adopted way to demonstrate a commitment to sustainability. First
released in 2000 for new buildings, the rating system now includes existing
buildings – a good thing, considering there are about 100 existing buildings
for every new building constructed. New technologies also help optimize use of
resources, such as light-emitting diodes which consume 10 percent of the power
and have 10-20 times the life of incandescent lamps and building control
equipment with self-tuning loops in heating, ventilating, lighting, and air
conditioning systems.
Q. How can employees and building occupants
support these goals?
RF: No company can achieve its sustainability goals or introduce new
technologies to help customers and its facilities protect the environment
unless every employee, from the ground level to the top, is committed. A policy
is often nothing more than a piece of paper. Transferring policy into actions
is what really makes the difference. Recycling is one thing that can easily be
taken on. Our company transforms waste materials into usable products by
collecting scrap and materials that are off-specification or beyond their
shelf-life, then either reapplying them into alternative markets and
applications or converting them into other products. Employees at one of our
U.S. manufacturing sites have shipped more than a ton of scrap-cured rubber to
a recycler over the past year which has reduced disposal costs and recaptured
valuable raw materials. Back to top
GR: It’s one thing to have awareness; it’s another to have the
knowledge and tools to change behaviors. Through the implementation of over
100,000 energy efficiency projects, my company has learned that significant
savings are possible if building occupants are educated on the impact of their
behaviors and trained on how to conserve resources like water and electricity.
Working with the National Energy Foundation, we created a program called SEEC
(Sustainable Energy Education and Communication) that teaches building
occupants how to reduce their environmental impact and support sustainability.
Such programs can have a significant impact – as much as 10 percent of the
entire utility spend. To keep it interesting, we arrange competitions between
departments or buildings, and report results so employees see the positive
outcomes of their actions.
Q. How can sustainability be transformed from
an add-on program to the way a company does business?
RF: The three pillars of sustainability – social economic, and
environmental – need to be considered and embedded in all business decisions.
They must become part of the fabric of a company’s culture – not merely a set
of tactics. There’s not one perfect model for balancing sustainability and
economics. It requires a long-term approach and the ability to align with
societal needs. If an opportunity offers strong economic benefits but doesn’t
meet our company’s social or environmental goals, it doesn’t pass our screens.
We see sustainability as more than a policy or commitment; it’s how we do
business. For more information about Dow Corning, please visit www.dowcorning.com. Back to
top
GR: Leadership commitment and ensuring this commitment permeates all
levels of the organization are key factors, as is purchasing based on a
‘life-cycle analysis.’ This commitment is demonstrated in the types of products
and services a company offers, the partners it chooses, how employees are
educated, and how sustainability is driven through the supply chain. Since an
organization’s buildings and fleet typically are its largest assets (after
people), a commitment to sustainability is most easily demonstrated by making
those assets more energy-efficient. Obtaining LEED certification for buildings
and improving fleet mileage by converting to biodiesel, natural gas, or hybrid
vehicles, as well as instituting ‘no idling’ policies, offer enormous
opportunities.
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Dow Corning
Sponsors Emission-Zero Polar Station - Dow Corning is sponsoring the
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About Dow Corning
Dow Corning Corporation (www.dowcorning.com) provides
performance-enhancing solutions to serve the diverse needs of more than 25,000
customers worldwide. A global leader in silicon-based technology and
innovation, offering more than 7,000 products and services, Dow Corning is
equally owned by The Dow Chemical Company and Corning, Incorporated. More than
half of Dow Corning’s annual sales are outside the United States.
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