VALLEY FORGE, Pa., March 4 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (http://www.epa.gov/) has named Saint-Gobain as a 2009 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year (http://www.energystar.gov/) for outstanding energy management and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. The company is a leading supplier of building materials (mainly through its well known CertainTeed brand), as well as high-performance materials and glass containers. It was one of five new winners in the competition's "energy management" category for industrial companies. No other manufacturer of glass containers or fiber glass insulation has ever received the Partner of the Year award. Through a wide range of energy-awareness programs, key process improvements, and implementation of superior energy management practices in 2008, Saint-Gobain businesses in North America were able to save enough energy to make nearly 700 million glass bottles or enough fiber glass insulation for more than 160,000 homes. The company's energy-use reduction equated to a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions released to the atmosphere of nearly 70,000 tons last year. Saint-Gobain's accomplishments will be recognized at an awards ceremony in Washington, DC, on March 31, 2009. "Every Saint-Gobain business and organization made contributions to this significant reduction -- and we continue to look for additional ways to reduce our energy use in the future," says Gilles Colas, General Delegate for Saint-Gobain in North America. Last year alone, Americans with the help of ENERGY STAR saved $19 billion on their energy bills and reduced greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of 29 million vehicles. The 2009 Partner of the Year Awards recognize efforts to use energy efficiently in facility operations and to integrate superior energy management into overall organizational strategy. Award winners are selected from more than 12,000 organizations that participate in the ENERGY STAR program. "EPA is pleased to recognize Saint-Gobain for leadership in addressing global warming through greater energy efficiency," says Kathleen Hogan, EPA's Director of the Climate Protection Partnerships Division
