VALLEY FORGE, Pa., Aug. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- A combination of ingenuity and technical expertise among CertainTeed Corporation employees is making waves at the company's manufacturing facility in Kansas City, Kan. The facility, which produces fiberglass insulation, made important changes to help reduced its water usage by more than 35 percent. To help conserve water, the Kansas City plant made adjustments to spray systems to reuse water and eliminate the need for valuable city water. The sprayed water is used to keep the rotary screens clean during the manufacturing process. Through installation of new equipment, controls and piping, the water is now captured, cleaned and re-circulated back into the spray system. "While the new, more sustainable approach in cleaning the rotary screens required an initial investment in equipment, we were able to recoup the costs in less than one year," says Jeff Chevalier, process engineer for CertainTeed Insulation. "This water conservation project is a perfect example of how working together to reduce our environmental impact can also improve our bottom line." A part of the community since 1951, the CertainTeed plant in Kansas City manufactures a broad array of insulation products, including fiberglass batts, rolls and blow-in insulation that help make homes more sustainable and energy efficient. The plant is also an active participant in the Saint-Gobain International Environment, Health and Safety Day, an annual event dedicated to environmental awareness, emergency preparedness, healthy living and workplace safety. "In addition to offering energy efficient products with renewable and recycled content, and reducing our energy consumption as recognized by the 2010 Energy Star Partner of the Year award, we are proud of important milestones like these results in Kansas City," says Paul Valle, president of CertainTeed Insulation. "Our ongoing sustainability efforts will continue to reduce environmental impacts in all areas of our operations."
