Eastman Chemical Company, a Tennessee-based global supplier of chemicals, materials and fibers, has updated its energy management program to include water, a resource that previously stood as an independent target.
Company management has said the firm could not ignore link between water and energy. With that in mind, Eastman Chemical conducted a water assessment pilot at its Springfield, Massachusetts, plant in 2016 to identify potential projects, develop a process for assessing opportunities, and identify knowledge gaps, according to the company’s recent sustainability report, “Innovating with Purpose.” This year, the company is evaluating and implementing results of the study, while initiating a second study evaluating the reduction of municipal water at its Kingsport facility.
2018 goals include evaluating best practices for applicability in other regions of the world and determining the best method going forward for assessments at every global site.
The report notes that energy intensity up to 2016 has improved by 10% compared to 2008. Year-over-year improvement was 2.6% compared to 2015.
Efficiency with water usage is catching on – even with prisons. A prison in Illinois will benefit from more than $33 million in energy and water savings thanks to an energy savings performance contract. The project will, among other savings, reduce water consumption by more than 32 million gallons annually through domestic water conservation measures across inmate housing. Ameresco will replace existing higher flow toilets, showers and faucets with lower flow models to reduce water consumption at the prison by 35%.
