Month: September 2024

Saint-Gobain North America, through its Ceramics division, has achieved net-zero carbon manufacturing (scopes 1 and 2) at its Surface Conditioning facility in Anaheim, California, reducing CO2 emissions by 80 tons compared to 2022 levels. Through this project, the Anaheim facility has been able to eliminate the use of natural gas at the facility and is now powered completely by electricity covered by Renewable Energy Credits (RECs).

In operation since 1990, the Anaheim plant manufactures coolants, lubricants, abrasive slurries, cleaners and specialty fluids for use in a wide variety of industries. The facility has historically operated using only two energy sources, electricity and natural gas to power a water heater. As part of the project, the old water heater was replaced by an electric version, eliminating the need for natural gas and making the plant net-zero from a scope 2 perspective. As the site’s electricity supplier could not guarantee a renewable energy supply, the team in Anaheim executed the purchase of RECs to cover its electricity use and achieve net-zero for scope 1 emissions.

“As a company committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, each plant must take the initiative and action to reach these goals,” said Jeff Mydlarz, Vice President of Saint-Gobain Specialty Grains and Powders. “I congratulate the Anaheim plant for their dedication to sustainability. Their work truly embodies our purpose- Making the World a Better Home.”

Following this milestone on scope 1 and 2 emissions, the Anaheim plant has continued to work to help forward the company’s sustainability goals by working with its suppliers to reduce emissions and the facility’s scope 3 emissions.

The project is part of the company’s successful execution of its global Grow and Impact strategy, which includes ambitious environmental sustainability goals, such as reducing the company’s consumption of energy and water and achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

This project follows several other recent actions taken by the company to solidify its commitment towards sustainability:

In August, Saint-Gobain enhanced operational practices at its glass mat plant in Charleston, South Carolina, saving over 4,500 MWh of energy.In July, Saint-Gobain announced that it will save over 10 million gallons of water per year through the installation of smart water submetering systems and other equipment upgrades at its CertainTeed Siding facility in Jackson, Michigan.In April, Saint-Gobain achieved Core Living Building Ready designation from the International Living Future Institute for its CertainTeed Innovation Center in Malvern, Pennsylvania.In March, Saint-Gobain announced that its CertainTeed Siding business had reduced manufacturing related emissions by 96% at three facilities in the United States.In February, Saint-Gobain completed the installation of a heat recovery system at its gypsum facility in Vancouver, British Columbia, which will lead to a 15% reduction in Scope 1 carbon emissions.

With over 145 manufacturing locations in the United States and Canada, every current and future member of the company’s team plays a vital role in achieving its sustainability goals. A current list of job openings at all Saint-Gobain locations, including in Anaheim, can be found on the company’s career website.

About Saint-Gobain Specialty Grains and Powders

Saint-Gobain Specialty Grains and Powders department internationally designs, produces and distributes technical ceramic grains, powders, suspensions and chemicals, as well as thermal spray equipment for a wide range of industries: abrasives, aerospace, automobile, energy, semiconductors, metallurgy, and more.

Specialty Grains and Powders is part of Saint-Gobain Ceramics.

About Saint-Gobain

Worldwide leader in light and sustainable construction, Saint-Gobain designs, manufactures and distributes materials and services for the construction and industrial markets. Its integrated solutions for the renovation of public and private buildings, light construction and the decarbonization of construction and industry are developed through a continuous innovation process and provide sustainability and performance. The Group’s commitment is guided by its purpose, “MAKING THE WORLD A BETTER HOME”.

€47.9 billion in sales in 2023 
160,000 employees, locations in 76 countries 
Committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050

For more information about Saint-Gobain, visit www.saint-gobain.com and follow us on Twitter @saintgobain

MEDIA CONTACTS 
Peter Clark 
(+1) 603 513 8513

By Michele Robinson-Pontbriand Director Corporate Social Responsibility

Energy efficiency offers positive societal benefits in both environmental and economic ways, such as lowering pollutants and utility bills. As such, the global community is looking toward technological advancements to help drive a more sustainable future. One such technology that offers opportunities in this space is 6G. Utilizing its unparalleled speed and connectivity, and powered by the transformative capabilities of artificial intelligence (AI), 6G enables the opportunity to drive unprecedented energy efficiency. It also represents a major shift in how the communications industry can approach sustainability at the most fundamental level – as a native attribute of the network.

The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector in 2020 used ~4% of global electricity in the use stage, representing about 1.4% of worldwide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in that year.1 In addition, ICT emissions have likely grown twice as fast as total global emissions.2 At the same time, 6G is anticipated to have greater data throughput demands than 5G3, which will require solutions that are designed efficiently. On top of this, the demand for generative AI is a driving force in data growth, to the tune of a new data center every three days.4 This extreme growth adds new challenges that weren’t considered 10 years ago.

Dr. Giampaolo Tardioli, Keysight vice president of 6G Innovations, spoke earlier this year at Mobile World Congress noting that, “As we think about the transformation from 5G to 6G, we need to go from a network aware of energy consumption to a communication system with sustainability as a native attribute of the network itself.”

Other Keysight presenters at the event also noted that, in an age where connectivity is embedded into every aspect of society, achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 is critical. As such, the transition from 5G to 6G needs to include creating purpose-driven sustainable networks that benefit the environment and have positive economic impacts.

Keysight is playing a critical role in enabling sustainability in 6G networks. Keysight’s 6G journey, which started nearly five years ago, is focused on advancing key scalable solutions while actively engaging and influencing the early-stage ecosystem, keeping sustainability and AI top of mind.

The future is looking bright with the opportunity of energy efficiency through 6G developments, and I’m thankful to be part of a company that will help move toward more sustainable network infrastructures.

1. ICT sector electricity consumption and greenhouse gas emissions – 2020 outcome

2. The real climate and transformative impact of ICT: A critique of estimates, trends, and regulations

3. 5G vs 6G: What’s the difference?

4. Why the AI Industry’s Thirst for New Data Centers Can’t Be Satisfied