Projects boosting energy efficiency, such as air compressor optimization, LED lighting installation, and cooling tower upgrades, were showcased at the Environmental Technologies Blacksburg plant in Virginia on Wednesday, June 21, 2017.

The plant’s Global Energy Management (GEM) team hosted the event in celebration of their ENERGY STAR® Challenge for Industry achievement given by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR program. Other Corning employees, local utility providers, equipment manufacturers, and community leaders were invited to the plant to learn about Corning’s energy-saving initiatives.

“The Blacksburg plant is committed to conserving energy. Our team has worked hard to achieve this recognition, which shows we’re committed to being good corporate citizens, protecting the environment, and saving the company money,” said Ted Talarek, plant manager at Blacksburg. “I’m incredibly proud of our team for this achievement.”

To meet the Challenge for Industry, industrial sites must improve energy efficiency by at least 10 percent in five years or less. The Blacksburg GEM team implemented energy-saving projects for an improvement of 10.7 percent in three years. Those projects, showcased at the plant’s event, include:

• Replacing air compressors with more efficient models
• Installing air separation equipment with less-power-consuming units
• Upgrading to LED lighting
• Installing steam heaters and replacing older air conditioning units
• Upgrading facility exhaust fans, cafeteria equipment, and cooling towers

Also at the event, Blacksburg GEM team members presented on division-wide energy achievements and GEM’s role throughout the entire company, and guests were treated to a plant tour.

Blacksburg joins nine other Corning facilities to meet the Challenge in three years or less, with several other plants close to meeting the energy efficiency goal.

Blacksburg’s achievements contribute to a company-wide energy efficiency improvement of more than 35 percent since 2006, when Corning first implemented its GEM program. GEM has earned Corning the ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year recognition in 2014 and 2015, and the award’s Sustained Excellence distinction in 2016 and 2017.