Page 344 - Design for Environment A Guide to Sustainable Product Development

Materials Pr oduction Industries 319

insulating characteristics. The company is well on its way to meeting
a 10-year goal of 25 percent energy-intensity reduction worldwide
by 2012. In addition, Owens Corning’s glass melting processes uti-
lize more than 1 billion tons of recycled glass each year. Meanwhile,
the company is seeking opportunities to generate business value
through sustainable product design in many different markets, such
as lightweight fiberglass composites for automobiles and wind
turbines.

A Sustainable Factory
One example of Owens Corning’s passion for environmental excel-
lence is the Mount Vernon plant, tucked away among the serene roll-
ing hills of Central Ohio. The plant manufactures unbonded loose-fill
(ULF) insulation, sold for residential applications under the Atticat ®
brand. Behind the modest exterior lies an extraordinary example of
dedication to high performance in terms of productivity, human
development, and environmental sustainability. Originally built for
another purpose, the plant was reopened in 2006 with the intent of
implementing eco-efficient processes from start to finish. This facil-
ity may very well be a model for the sustainable factory of the future.
The manufacturing process involves melting sand together with
recycled glass and forming the material into very fine glass fibers.
The fibers are then conditioned, compressed, dyed with the familiar

FIGURE 17.4 Owens Corning unbonded loose-fi ll insulation plant in Mount
Vernon, Ohio.