The Pink Panther(TM) Breaks Silence: Identifies Biggest Energy Consumer
October 09 2008 - 5:22PM
PR Newswire (US)
Owens Corning Chief Energy Officer Stars in Campaign Urging Proper
Insulation for Improved Energy Efficiency in Buildings TOLEDO,
Ohio, Oct. 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Armed with survey results
revealing public misperceptions about energy use, The Pink
Panther(TM), Chief Energy Officer at Owens Corning (NYSE:OC), today
broke his decades of silence to focus national attention on the
massive amount of energy used to heat and cool buildings. According
to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), 40 percent of U.S. energy
is swallowed by buildings, yet most Americans believe
transportation and industry are the largest offenders. (Photo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081009/CLTH103-a ) (Photo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081009/CLTH103-b ) In a
recent survey conducted by Owens Corning, only 27 percent of
Americans correctly identified buildings as the major energy
culprit. More survey participants singled out transportation and
industry as the primary users of energy. Buildings are clearly the
primary energy user followed by industry and transportation. "That
startling lack of awareness compelled The Pink Panther to cease his
lifelong silence," said Frank O'Brien-Bernini, Chief Sustainability
Officer at Owens Corning. "The Pink Panther has agreed to be part
of a nationwide campaign to draw attention to the facts."
Communicating directly through his Save Energy blog, The Pink
Panther today wrote that the Owens Corning survey reveals a deep
lack of understanding about the greatest source of energy use - the
buildings in which we live and work. "People keep searching for
answers to our energy problems while the answer is all around us,"
wrote The Pink Panther. "By focusing on the role our buildings play
in energy consumption and making simple, easy changes such as
adding insulation, we will use a lot less energy." O'Brien-Bernini
said heating and cooling of buildings in the U.S. is also a leading
contributor of greenhouse gas emissions - a fact that is not
commonly understood. According to a global study by the McKinsey
Global Institute, the most cost-effective method for decreasing
greenhouse gas emissions is insulating buildings. Yet only 8
percent of survey respondents correctly identified insulation as
this most powerful tool, compared to other options such as hybrid
vehicles or energy-efficient appliances. "Imagine what a difference
we can make if owners of our nation's nearly 80 million
under-insulated homes realize they can easily decrease their carbon
footprint by properly insulating," said O'Brien-Bernini. "Our best
source of energy is energy we don't use in the first place." With
homeowners everywhere worrying about the economy and facing
increased energy costs, insulation saves on energy bills. The
Energy Information Administration estimates that the average
American will pay nearly 15 percent more in heating costs this
winter, while those living in the Northeast may see an increase of
24 percent. A properly insulated home can save up to 20 percent on
heating and cooling costs* - and is an easy do-it-yourself project.
It is interesting to note that 68 percent of survey respondents
would be willing to pay up to as much as $10,000 more for a home
that could help save up to 20 percent on heating and cooling
energy-related bills. The Pink Panther and Owens Corning urge
homeowners to head up to their attics to measure their existing
insulation and add more to meet current DOE recommendations of up
to an R-value of 60. To meet these standards, your attic should
have at least 19 inches of fiberglass batt (roll) insulation or 22
inches of blown insulation. By doing so, homeowners will increase
their homes' energy efficiency, do more with less and save money
this winter. For more information about current DOE standards, the
benefits of insulation and easy instructions about measuring and
adding insulation, please visit http://www.insulateandsave.com/.
Sources: Buildings Energy Data Book September 2007, Buildings Share
of U.S. Primary Energy Consumption, U.S. Department of Energy.
Consumer-Omnipulse Survey, September, 2008, Owens Corning
*http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=home_sealing.hm_improvement_methodology
*Savings vary. Find out why in the seller's fact sheet on R-values.
Higher R-values mean greater insulating power. About Owens Corning
Owens Corning (NYSE:OC) is a leading global producer of residential
and commercial building materials, glass fiber reinforcements and
engineered materials for composite systems. A Fortune 500 company
for 54 consecutive years, Owens Corning is committed to driving
sustainability through delivering solutions, transforming markets
and enhancing lives. Founded in 1938, Owens Corning is a
market-leading innovator of glass fiber technology with sales of $5
billion in 2007 and 18,000 employees in 26 countries on five
continents. Additional information is available at
http://www.owenscorning.com/. About Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios
Inc. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc., through its operating subsidiaries,
is actively engaged in the worldwide production and distribution of
motion pictures, television programming, home video, interactive
media, music and licensed merchandise. The company owns the world's
largest library of modern films, comprising around 4,100 titles.
Operating units include Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc.,
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc., United Artists Films Inc.,
Ventanazul, MGM Television Entertainment Inc., MGM Networks Inc.,
MGM Domestic Networks LLC, MGM Distribution Co., MGM International
Television Distribution Inc., Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Home
Entertainment LLC, MGM ON STAGE, MGM Music, MGM Worldwide Digital
Media, MGM Consumer Products and MGM Interactive. In addition, MGM
has ownership interests in international TV channels reaching
nearly 120 countries. MGM ownership is as follows: Providence
Equity Partners (29%), TPG (21%), Sony Corporation of America
(20%), Comcast (20%), DLJ Merchant Banking Partners (7%) and
Quadrangle Group (3%). For more information, visit
http://www.mgm.com/.
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081009/CLTH103-a
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081009/CLTH103-b
http://photoarchive.ap.org/ DATASOURCE: Owens Corning CONTACT: Ried
Artis, Owens Corning, +1-419-248-5577, , or Lisa Heathman, HMH,
+1-503-973-9220, Web site: http://www.owenscorning.com/
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