Leviton Partners with El Paso Electric to Reduce Energy Use and Carbon Footprint at Texas Manufacturing Facility
Melville, New York, January 29, 2010 - As part of its corporate sustainability initiatives, Leviton Manufacturing Company, North America's leading producer of electrical and electronic wiring devices and systems, recently completed a capital investment project to reduce annual energy consumption and carbon emissions at its El Paso, Texas manufacturing plant. The project involved upgrades to the plant's lighting system, roof and compressed air systems and is expected to reduce electricity use by 2.1 million kilowatt-hours a year, with a projected annual savings of $137,000.
The reduced electrical consumption will also spare annual carbon dioxide emissions, which according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), equals that produced by nearly 300 cars. The efficiency upgrades were conducted in conjunction with El Paso Electric as part of the utility's Commercial Solutions Program, a free program that provides technical and financial support to businesses that implement energy efficiency upgrades.
"Leviton prides itself on being a socially-responsible corporate citizen. Implementing this program at our El Paso facility is an integral part of our commitment to the local community," said John Christie, Manager of Facilities and Maintenance at Leviton's El Paso plant. "Before the upgrade, eight of our compressors operated continuously because they were controlled individually. To allow the compressors to operate together as a system, we installed a central control sequencer that we program to run only the compressors needed to meet our production requirements at any given time. The bulk of our savings come from reengineering the way our compressed air system works," he added.
"Energy efficiency makes sound financial sense," said Jerry Fasano, Vice President and General Manager of Leviton's El Paso Operations. "When the Commercial Solutions Program demonstrated the nearly immediate payback, investing in the project was a very easy decision." A 3-month payback has been forecasted for the project.
"We're thrilled with Leviton's energy efficiency results" said Susanne Stone, energy efficiency coordinator for El Paso Electric. "The projects they completed will not only save energy, but have a positive effect on the environment in El Paso."
Last year, Leviton relocated its world headquarters to a state-of-the-art "green building" that is outfitted with daylight harvesting and shade control systems to reduce lighting usage, occupancy sensors in office areas to automatically turn lighting on and off, and low-flow toilets and sensor-controlled sinks in the building's restrooms. Employees with hybrid vehicles receive choice parking spots in an indoor parking garage and recycling bins are set up on all 5 floors of the building to promote recycling and reduce landfill.
About Leviton Manufacturing Company
Leviton Manufacturing Company, a member of the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) is a leading global manufacturer of electrical wiring devices, data center connectivity solutions and lighting energy management systems. Leviton's Lighting Management Systems (LMS) is fully dedicated to designing and developing commercial energy management systems that offer significant energy savings and reduction of carbon emissions. Leviton is sponsoring a series of workshops throughout the United States designed to show contractors how to install energy efficient lighting systems and become a Leviton authorized lighting energy conservation products installer.
Founded at the turn of the 20th century, Leviton has grown to become one of the most preeminent leaders in the electrical industry. Today Leviton's product portfolio consists of over 25,000 devices and systems used in homes, businesses and industry. Nine out of ten homes throughout North America have Leviton products installed in them, and builders, electrical contractors and other industry professionals rank Leviton products #1 in brand preference. For more information, contact Leviton Manufacturing, 201 North Service Rd., Melville, NY, 11747, www.leviton.com.
