3M is playing an important role in the recently announced Better Buildings Challenge, an effort to grow the country's clean energy economy. The initiative aims to improve energy efficiency in commercial buildings by 20% by the year 2020, a move that is projected to reduce energy bills for American businesses by approximately $40 billion per year and to create more than 100,000 jobs.
As a partner in the challenge, 3M has committed to reduce energy use by 25% in 78 of its plants, encompassing nearly 38 million-sf of building space. The company has already achieved significant gains; in 2011 alone, 3M improved energy efficiency in its operations globally by 8.9% compared to the same period last year, and avoided more than $43 million in energy costs. Additionally, more than 150 employee-inspired energy projects helped the company save nearly $7.7 million.
Within 3M, the Renewable Energy Division directs its efforts toward helping customers meet their energy targets by providing energy-saving solutions. 3M Renewable Energy creates products and technologies to advance the solar and wind industries, as well as energy conservation window films for the commercial building sector. These technologies hold significant promise in helping 3M and other participants in the challenge increase energy efficiency. Notable products in 3M's line include:
- Sun Control Window Films, which use non-metalized nano-technology to create reflectivity that's actually lower than glass. These spectrally-selective interior and exterior films reject up to 97 percent of the sun's heat-producing infrared light to help keep buildings cooler.
- Cool Mirror Film 330, a unique, multilayer optical film designed for low concentration, crystalline silicon photovoltaic (low X CPV) installations. The films reflect only the wavelengths of light that can be absorbed by solar cells, substantially reducing the amount of solar energy that can degrade the performance of CPV systems.
"3M has cut its absolute worldwide greenhouse gas emissions by 72 percent from 1990 to 2010," said Tim Thornton, director of 3M Renewable Energy Division's Energy Conservation business. "We are proud to take part in this challenge and to share our knowledge with others, so we can all move toward achieving this ambitious goal." BD+C
Related Stories
| Nov 28, 2012
Francis Cauffman appoints Stainbrook Director of Higher Education
Stainbrook has 16 years of experience as a strategic planner and urban designer working on complex projects on- and off-campus.
| Nov 27, 2012
SFIA releases technical guide for cold-formed steel framing products
The 114-page book covers both structural and non-structural applications, including section properties of SFIA member product profiles, and complete load and span tables for most applications.
| Nov 21, 2012
Architecture Billings Index positive for third straight month
All regions reporting positive business conditions
| Nov 20, 2012
PC Construction completes Juniper Hall at Champlain College
Juniper Hall is on track for LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.
| Nov 14, 2012
U.S. Green Building Council partners with Pearson
Partnership will help further USGBC’s mission by advancing green building education
| Nov 14, 2012
U.S. Green Building Council announces grant from Google to catalyze transformation of building materials industry and indoor health
Focus is on healthy building materials to promote indoor environmental quality and human health
| Nov 14, 2012
USGBC's Greenbuild International Conference and Expo kicks off in San Francisco
7,000 members of the green building industry convene for opening plenary headlined by "Morning Joe" co-hosts Mika Brzezinksi and Joe Scarborough
| Nov 13, 2012
Have colleges + universities gone too far with "Quality of Life" buildings?
We'd like your input - recent projects, photo/s, renderings, and expert insight - on an important article we're working on for our Jan 2013 issue
| Nov 13, 2012
Turner Construction’s green building Market Barometer reveals new findings on green building and certification
Respondents indicated a widespread commitment to sustainable practices
| Nov 13, 2012
Soladigm announces new glass product, changes company name to View, Inc.
Glass is installed and operating at W San Francisco adjacent to the 2012 Greenbuild show