WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced today that a one-day industrial Energy Saving Assessment will take place at the Boise Cascade facility in International Falls, Minnesota, as part of the comprehensive national energy efficiency effort being undertaken by the Bush administration.  Through no-cost assessments, DOE is working with major manufacturing facilities to identify opportunities to save energy and money, primarily by focusing on steam and process heating systems.

 

“President Bush has called on all Americans to be more energy efficient.  Private industry is joining the federal government in taking a lead role in this effort,” Secretary of Energy Samuel W. Bodman said.  “DOE’s Energy Saving Teams will play a key role in assessing and recommending energy efficiency strategies for some of the largest industrial facilities across the nation.”

 

Boise Cascade, headquartered in Boise, Idaho, manufactures engineered wood products, plywood, lumber and particleboard, and distributes a broad line of building materials including wood products manufactured by the company.  Boise also manufactures a wide range of specialty and premium paper products, including imaging papers for the office and home and papers for pressure-sensitive applications, as well as printing and converting papers, containerboard and corrugated boxes, newsprint and market pulp.

 

DOE’s Energy Saving Teams have completed visits to 28 large federal facilities and are in the process of visiting 200 of the most energy-intensive manufacturing facilities in the United States as part of the national “Easy Ways to Save Energy” campaign launched by Secretary Bodman on October 3, 2005.  

 

The first six Energy Saving Assessments that DOE has conducted of private-sector facilities have identified, in aggregate, $10 million per year in energy cost savings that on average, will reduce total plant natural gas consumption by 6.7 percent.

 

Companies interested in accessing DOE energy saving resources can get more details at http://www1.eere.energy.gov/industry/saveenergynow/ and request brochures detailing “15 Tips to Help Your Plant Save Energy.” 

 

For tips on easy, inexpensive steps consumers can take to lower their energy bills this winter, please visit http://www.energysavers.gov/ or call DOE’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Hotline at 1-877-337-3463.