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Optimizing Efficiency: Paving the Way for Sustainable Savings
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modern-bathroom-with-wood-ceiling-glass-shower-full-tub modern-bathroom-with-wood-ceiling-glass-shower-full-tub

Optimizing Efficiency: Paving the Way for Sustainable Savings

GOAL

Simultaneously achieve cost savings and progressive energy goals.

SOLUTION

A series of data-backed energy audits and recommendations that could result in significant annual savings

$212K Annual utility cost savings

From bathware to a brighter, more efficient future

How years of energy efficiency experience and data catalyzed a change in strategy for American Bath Group.

Crafting a new strategy

Making a positive impact on people’s lives and building a better bathware industry may seem like two independent goals, but American Bath Group (ABG) has combined them to offer the best experience and products from the industry’s most recognized brands.

ABG is guided by the beliefs that they can always learn more and that there’s always a better way. Driven by this mindset of continuous improvement, they reached out to their natural gas and electricity provider, NRG, for guidance on addressing efficiency gaps to help create a standardized guideline of best practices across their portfolio.

SITES EVALUATED

Hamilton, AL
Savannah, TN
South Boston, VA
Three Rivers, MI

TOTAL EVALUATED SQUARE FOOTAGE

775,800

Empowering responsible and efficient practices

As a trusted energy partner, NRG has spent over 15 years crafting robust sustainability programs, not just for us but for our customers, too. This long history translates into a wealth of knowledge, experience, and best practices — all of which we pass on in our recommendations to help customers reach outcomes that not only help make meaningful progress in their sustainability goals, but that also reduce risk, drive revenue, and enhance their brand. Leveraging our expertise, we assisted ABG and gained an understanding of their needs before diving into a comprehensive plan of action that involved four separate sites and 775,800 square feet.

Three Rivers, Michigan; Savannah, Tennessee; Hamilton, Alabama; and South Boston, Virginia
Three Rivers, Michigan; Savannah, Tennessee; Hamilton, Alabama; and South Boston, Virginia
Three Rivers, Michigan; Savannah, Tennessee; Hamilton, Alabama; and South Boston, Virginia

    

1 OF 3

American Bath Group’s award-winning strategy for saving on energy

Learn how American Bath Group used data to optimize energy and cost savings with NRG.
male factory worker in hard hat looking at tablet
male factory worker in hard hat looking at tablet
male factory worker in hard hat looking at tablet

business case

Driving results with a data-focused plan

Our team started with a portfolio-wide analysis to identify sites with the largest opportunity for efficiency savings based on Energy Usage Intensity and Energy Cost Index. This analysis provided a list of sites with the highest potential rate of return for additional study; after considering customer feedback, four sites were selected.

 

The next step was to conduct ASHRAE Level 2 energy audits at each site. These audits provided in-depth observations of operations, major energy consuming equipment and systems, and the full building envelopes to develop customized energy conservation measure (ECM) recommendations for energy and cost savings.

 

After completing all audits, our team analyzed the shared learnings across all reports. From this data, we developed best safety and maintenance practices, energy savings tips, and low-cost/no-cost improvement suggestions to be shared across the ABG portfolio.

 

These best practices have the potential annual savings of 1.22 million kWh and 3,078 MMBtu of natural gas across the four sites, totaling $212,000 in utility cost savings and 1,045 tons of avoided CO2.

actory-floor-porcelain-fittings-unfinished
actory-floor-porcelain-fittings-unfinished
factory floor porcelain fittings unfinished.

THE PATH FORWARD

Saving money, energy, and the environment

After implementing a number of the identified ECMs and resulting best practices suggested by our team, ABG achieved:

 

  • An efficiency standards program for all plants as well as shared learnings trainings 
  • Routine best-practice maintenance standards

 

The findings from the ABG audits and analyses showcase the importance of building an efficient energy strategy and establishing a sustainability program. With careful planning and a data-driven approach, cost savings and progressive energy goals can be achieved.

"We are delighted with the guidance and recommendations offered by the NRG Energy Efficiency team. We've not only recouped our investment through a 6% savings in energy and costs, but we've also begun to successfully extend these efficient practices across our additional locations with great success.”

Mark Thompson
American Bath Group

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Whatever your energy goal, we’re ready to craft the best solution.

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