SOLUTIONS Industry

The energy consumed by industrial and manufacturing processes accounts for a significant proportion (12 percent) of the Northeast's emissions. Establishing energy use and emissions metrics and performance goals can guide companies toward use of more energy-efficient technologies and processes. Industries can also lower their total "emissions footprint" by making more use of local sourcing, recycled raw materials, and efficient transportation systems.

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Benchmarks have allowed a number of major companies in the Northeast, including IBM and United Technologies, to successfully create corporate emissions-reduction targets and develop company-wide performance goals based on energy use, raw material inputs, and emissions rates. Companies are using these metrics to drive process improvements and product redesigns.

Green Buildings for industrial processes require unique solutions for each industry. But Nestle Waters North America has demonstrated that it's possible for industrial buildings to achieve LEED certification by applying the same principles, strategies, and technologies as other buildings.

On-site renewables allow business and industry to generate electricity on site and can help a company reduce its peak demand along with emissions and also provide some additional security from power failures.

Combined heat and power (CHP) technologies represent a particularly promising strategy for industry. By recovering much of the heat released during electricity generation and using that energy for water and space heating and air conditioning, CHP systems can harness as much as 80 percent of a fuel's useful energy—a highly cost-effective means of achieving substantial emissions reductions.