Aggregates Producer Earns Energy Star

Lehigh Hanson’s Downingtown, Pa. aggregates plant reduced its energy intensity by 10.7 percent within two years, earning it recognition from the Energy Star Challenge for Industry. The plant is the third Lehigh Hanson aggregates facility to achieve the rating in the past two years, giving the company the unique distinction of being the only aggregates producer to have any of its facilities achieve this recognition.

The EPA estimates the US manufacturing industry spends almost $100 billion annually on energy. The Energy Star Challenge aims to improve energy efficiency of America’s commercial and industrial buildings by 10 percent or more.

At Lehigh Hanson, plant management and the company’s technical competency center in Irving, Texas, completed a comprehensive review of the major systems at the plant, including crushers, conveyors, pumps, screens, feeders, fans, heating, and air compressors.

A number of energy-related upgrades concentrated on optimizing the pumping systems, demand management strategies, minimizing parasitic loads, as well as process improvements. The plant shifted certain production tasks to reduce loads at peak demand times and set monthly demand control targets.

Lehigh Hanson currently has eight additional aggregate facilities participating in the Energy Star Challenge for Industry and expects more of its plants to join the program in the near future. The company operates more than 200 aggregates plants in the US.

Photo: Peter Craven Flickr photostream