OREANDA-NEWS. Eleven General Motors facilities have earned ENERGY STAR® certification for superior energy efficiency from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. These buildings, which include seven parts distribution centers, a global headquarters office and three IT innovation office centers, have optimized their buildings to leave a smaller carbon footprint.

To earn ENERGY STAR certification, buildings must perform better in energy efficiency than 75 percent of similar buildings nationwide and meet strict energy efficiency performance levels set by the EPA.

“It makes good business sense to pursue a greener product in every segment of the value chain,” said Al Hildreth, GM’s global energy manager. “This includes the areas that support our business and keep our company running optimally, like our efficient warehouses, IT centers and office buildings.”

GM leads the automotive industry in certified distribution centers. The following Customer Care and Aftersales facilities, which supply automotive parts to dealerships and customers for vehicle repair, achieved certification:

Customer Care and Aftersales World Headquarters, Grand Blanc, Michigan
Denver Parts Distribution Center, Colorado
Fontana Parts Distribution Center, California
Lansing National Parts Distribution Center, Michigan
Martinsburg Parts Distribution Center, West Virginia
Memphis ACDelco Parts Distribution Center, Tennessee
Rancho Cucamonga Parts Distribution Center, California
Willow Run Parts Distribution Center, Michigan
These facilities implemented a number of energy conservation projects. The Grand Blanc facility installed energy-efficient LED lighting, upgraded heating and cooling systems, and engaged employees in a “Bring Your Green to Work” event with local energy utilities to discuss energy-saving ideas for both the home and office.

“This recognition demonstrates the collaborative work by our employees who are focused on saving energy and improving our efficiency,” said Tim Turvey, GM Customer Care and Aftersales global vice president.

Additionally, three new GM IT innovation office centers earned certification:

The Arizona IT Innovation Center in Chandler uses solar to power 9 percent of its monthly energy use
The Georgia IT Innovation Center in Roswell installed an advanced intelligent boiler control to optimize energy efficiency
The Austin IT Innovation Center in Texas sets workplace and conference room lighting to operate at 50 percent of maximum output
These three sites house software developers, project managers, database experts and other IT professionals supporting GM’s business worldwide. All buildings were designed and built following Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design strategies and practices, and rank an average of 43 percent below the median national average for energy use.

GM is committed to consistently making its global operations more energy efficient. It has earned three consecutive EPA ENERGY STAR®Partner of the Year – Sustained Excellence awards for energy management and leads all companies in the ENERGY STAR®Challenge for Industry. GM was one of the first 13 companies to sign the White House American Business Act on Climate Pledge and is a Ceres BICEP Climate Declaration signatory since 2013.

For more information on GM’s environmental commitment, visit its sustainability report and environmental blog.

General Motors Co. (NYSE:GM, TSX: GMM) and its partners produce vehicles in 30 countries, and the company has leadership positions in the world's largest and fastest-growing automotive markets. GM, its subsidiaries and joint venture entities sell vehicles under the Chevrolet, Cadillac, Baojun, Buick, GMC, Holden, Jiefang, Opel, Vauxhall and Wuling brands. More information on the company and its subsidiaries, including OnStar, a global leader in vehicle safety, security and information services, can be found at http://www.gm.com.