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
| Dec 5, 2011
New York and San Francisco receive World Green Building Council's Government Leadership Awards
USGBC commends two U.S. cities for their innovation in green building leadership.
| Dec 5, 2011
Summit Design+Build begins renovation of Chicago’s Esquire Theatre
The 33,000 square foot building will undergo an extensive structural remodel and core & shell build-out changing the building’s use from a movie theater to a high-end retail center.
| Dec 5, 2011
Fraser Brown MacKenna wins Green Gown Award
Working closely with staff at Queen Mary University of London, MEP Engineers Mott MacDonald, Cost Consultants Burnley Wilson Fish and main contractor Charter Construction, we developed a three-fold solution for the sustainable retrofit of the building.
| Dec 5, 2011
RJM Construction begins building Nova Classical Academy in St. Paul
As the general contractor, RJM is constructing the 94,000-sf building that will consolidate the St. Paul school’s two other locations.
| Dec 5, 2011
Gables Residential brings mixed-use building to Houston's Tanglewood area
The design integrates a detailed brick and masonry facade, acknowledging the soft pastel color palette of the surrounding Mediterranean heritage of Tanglewood.
| Dec 5, 2011
SchenkelShultz Architecture designs Dr. Phillips Charities Headquarters building in Orlando
The building incorporates sustainable architectural features, environmentally friendly building products, energy-efficient systems, and environmentally-sensitive construction practices.
| Dec 2, 2011
What are you waiting for? BD+C's 2012 40 Under 40 nominations are due Friday, Jan. 20
Nominate a colleague, peer, or even yourself. Applications available here.
| Dec 2, 2011
Legrand joins White House initiative to spur energy efficiency in commercial buildings
Company agrees to aggressive energy savings and reporting.
| Dec 2, 2011
Goody Clancy awarded Ohio State residential project
The project, which is focused on developing a vibrant on-campus community of learning for OSU undergraduates.
| Dec 1, 2011
Nauset Construction breaks ground on Massachusetts health care center
The $20 million project is scheduled to be completed by December 2012.