PITTSBURGH -- As part of its continued commitment to sustainable practices, PPG Industries announced yesterday it has set a goal to reduce its total energy intensity by 25 percent from 2006 to 2016 and its total global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 10 percent from 2006 to 2011.

“Reducing greenhouse gas emissions demonstrates our corporate-wide commitment to improving the global environment and increasing the efficiency of our operations,” said James Trainham, PPG vice president, science and technology. “PPG is working to improve its performance in the United States and to extend its goals to all global operations.”

PPG previously committed to reducing its GHG emission intensity from sources in the United States by 18 percent by 2012 from a 2002 baseline. It achieved this mark in 2006, six years earlier than the projected date.

In addition to taking action to reduce emissions, PPG continues to improve its energy efficiency. The company has reduced its energy use by more than 1 percent annually for the last five years, saving about $40 million overall, and meeting its new energy savings goal would realize a savings of $15 to $20 million a year at today's energy prices.

In its largest chemical plant at Lake Charles, LA, PPG said it has already seen a 25 percent annual energy savings by producing chlorine with a new membrane process installed this summer.

Also this year, the Sierracin/Sylmar Corp. aerospace subsidiary’s facility in Sylmar, CA, replaced 2,463 lighting fixtures, cutting electrical use from 2.1 million kilowatt-hours (kwh) per year to 780,000 kwh per year and saving more than $132,000 annually. The new fixtures also generate less heat, saving an additional $21,500 annually on air conditioning costs.

For more information about PPG, visit: www.ppg.com.