On February 13th, Schneider Electric announced its participation in the "Better Buildings Challenge" initiative led by the White House. Schneider Electric committed to reducing energy consumption by 25% across its 40 factories (with a total floor area of approximately 9 million square feet).
This project is part of the "Better Buildings Initiative" launched by the White House last February, aimed at calling on CEOs, university presidents, and state and local leaders to create jobs in America through improving energy efficiency. "This project is a model of government-enterprise cooperation; this kind of collaboration will guide our country towards a more energy-efficient, high-performance, safe, and stable future," said Chris Curtis, CEO of Schneider Electric North America. "We have created job opportunities while reducing energy consumption because active energy efficiency management requires more retrofitting projects and construction activities. We are creating employment through these activities, achieving a win-win situation."
Schneider Electric has committed to achieving an annual energy savings of 2.5% over the next 10 years. From 2004 to today, the company has already reduced its energy consumption by over 20% using its own technology, saving $18 million in expenses.
A manufacturing plant of Schneider Electric in Smyrna, Tennessee, is a pilot factory for the U.S. Department of Energy and also a demonstration project for the company's participation in the "Better Buildings Challenge." This factory recently completed the construction of a 6-acre, 1-megawatt solar power field, which is the first of its kind in the United States. Through this project, the company can simplify the operation of the solar power field while conducting research and testing of renewable energy solutions. Combining Schneider Electric's energy efficiency management solutions, this factory has successfully cut energy consumption by 35% and is currently applying for ISO 50001 energy management standard certification and the "Superior Energy Performance" gold certification.
In addition, as the only energy management company participating in the challenge plan, Schneider Electric is also one of the pioneer enterprises practicing the Energy Performance Contracting model. Some federal government construction projects under the "Better Buildings Challenge" will also adopt this model, where the energy cost savings achieved through energy efficiency upgrades will be used to pay for the costs of the retrofit projects themselves. According to a presidential memorandum signed by President Obama, the "Better Buildings Challenge" project will receive $2 billion in funding for energy efficiency upgrades of federal government buildings, with long-term energy savings being used to cover the initial costs, thus not requiring taxpayer money.