The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says the first group of manufacturing sites has met the Energy Star Challenge for Industry, reducing their energy intensity by 10 percent within 5 years or less.
Here is a list of the first manufacturing facilities to meet or exceed the reduction goal.
-- Kodak's Manitou site in Rochester, N.Y
-- Kodak's GCG Columbus manufacturing site in Columbus, Ga.
-- Shearer's Foods' Lubbock, Texas plant
-- Detroit Diesel's Redford Component Manufacturing Center in Detroit, Mich.
-- John B. Sanfilippo & Son's Elgin Headquarters facility in Elgin, Ill.
-- John B. Sanfilippo & Son's Selma, Texas facility
-- John B. Sanfilippo & Son's Garysburg, N.C. facility
-- FetterGroup's headquarters facility in Louisville, Ky.
The total annual energy savings for these companies are equal to the energy needed to power all the homes on the island of Nantucket for a year, says EPA. They also cut annual carbon dioxide emissions by nearly 34,000 metric tons, which is equal to the emissions from nearly 6,500 cars.
EPA leaders prevented the emissions of more than 220,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide and saved more than $48 million across their commercial building portfolios in 2009.
Under the EPA energy-reduction program, manufacturing sites must establish an energy intensity baseline, set a 10 percent reduction goal, implement energy-efficiency projects, track energy use and verify their savings. Any U.S. manufacturing site may participate in the program.
According to the EPA, the U.S. manufacturing industry is responsible for nearly 30 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in the country, and spends almost $100 billion annually on energy.
If the energy efficiency of industrial facilities improved by 10 percent, EPA estimates that Americans would save nearly $10 billion and reduce greenhouse gases emissions equal to about 12 million vehicles.