Shaw Industries Group has achieved the USGBC's LEED Silver designation for New Construction for its Reclaim to Energy (Re2E) process building, located in Dalton, Ga.
In 2012, Shaw's 35,397-sq-foot Re2E facility began to convert carpet to steam energy – a steady, cost-stable alternative power supply for two adjacent carpet-manufacturing facilities. Re2E is projected to convert 84 million pounds of carpet each year into 50,000 pounds of steam energy per hour. It will eventually co-generate enough electrical energy to help sustain its own operations.
According to Shaw, earning LEED points for an industrial facility in a non-metropolitan area requires more thought and planning than for an office building in a more urban area because such facilities can't take advantage of site-based points such as development density or transportation connectivity.
Re2E's LEED Silver certification includes obtaining more than 20 percent energy cost savings compared with buildings that only comply with Georgia's strong energy code.
Berkshire Hathaway-owned Shaw has set itself strict environmental goals concerning cradle-to-grave recycling principles, such as eliminating hazardous chemicals from its production, and making its products 100 percent recyclable.
