SHAKOPEE, Minn. — Saint-Gobain North America, through its building products subsidiary CertainTeed LLC, has upgraded equipment at its roofing plant in Shakopee, Minn., which is projected to save over 5,000 megawatt-hours of electricity per year and reduce carbon emissions.
The project comes as Saint-Gobain continues to roll out its global Grow and Impact strategy, which includes ambitious environmental sustainability goals, such as reducing the company’s consumption of energy at its manufacturing sites.
The Shakopee facility, which began operations in 1974 and is a member of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Better Plants Program, has upgraded key equipment used in the production of roofing shingles. These upgrades include the installation of three new, energy-efficient air compressors with control functions, two new refrigerant air dryers and the installation of a new hot oil heater. The facility will replace an additional hot oil heater later this year, resulting in additional energy savings.
“As we continue our leadership in light and sustainable construction, we must continuously work to minimize the environmental footprint of our production processes,” said Carmen Bodden, vice president and general manager of CertainTeed Roofing Product Group. “These upgrades in Shakopee are an excellent example of how Saint-Gobain prioritizes energy efficiency while working to make the world a better home.”
Other sustainability projects Saint-Gobain include: a 10-year renewable electricity supply agreement with TotalEnergies that is expected to offset nearly 33% of Saint-Gobain North America’s Scope 2 emissions from electricity; starting up operations at its new electrical powerhouse on its flagship campus in Worcester, Mass., which is projected to reduce the site’s carbon dioxide emissions by 50%; saving 2 million gallons of water per year at its CertainTeed Social Circle, Ga., siding plant after installing a smart water meter system and upgrading manufacturing equipment; and a $32 million investment in upgraded equipment at its CertainTeed insulation plant in Chowchilla, Calif., reducing the facility’s carbon footprint by more than 4,000 metric tons per year.
