Shaw Industries' Green Mentality Runs from Plant to Product

Carpet Maker's Plant 95 Earns LEED Gold Certification

BURLINGTON, MASS. (01/12/2012)(readMedia)-- Shaw Industries is the world's largest carpet manufacturer, employing approximately 24,000 people, but that size doesn't mean the company has lost sight of its core belief that going green means being smart. The most recent evidence of the carpet leader's sustainability efforts came in the form of a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold Certification for its Plant 95 in Dalton, Georgia.

Part of Shaw Industries' corporate campus, Plant 95 is the first building in Dalton, Georgia to achieve certification under the LEED Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance rating system, which requires efficient water and electricity use as well as green cleaning, waste reduction and recycling. The building was also the first privately owned building in Dalton to earn the U.S. EPA Energy Star rating, meaning customers at Shaw carpet dealers can rest assured that their eco-friendly carpets are being designed in eco-friendly buildings as well.

"Shaw's commitment to preserving vital resources begins with their buildings and ends with their products," said Barry Greenberg, sales manager at Massachusetts carpet dealer A.J. Rose Carpets & Flooring. "From saving electricity and water with thoughtful building construction to keeping tons of discarded carpets from reaching landfills, Shaw is putting its money where its mouth is."

The reuse of discarded carpets at Shaw Industries recently earned the company another award. For the seventh-consecutive year, the carpet maker was honored in the CalRecycle Waste Reduction Awards Program (WRAP) for its efforts to recycle old carpets into fresh Shaw carpet lines. CalRecycle is California's leading authority on recycling, waste reduction and product reuse.

Shaw's sustainability efforts through its Green Edge platform have kept 8.5 million pounds of waste from entering landfills, with 3.8 million pounds of material reused and another 4.7 million pounds of waste recycled. The conservation initiative has saved the company more than $1.3 million in production and operations costs.

That recycled material makes its way into Shaw products like its Anso nylon carpet line, which is Cradle to Cradle Certified by global-sustainability firm McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC). Twenty-five percent of Shaw's Anso nylon carpet is comprised of recycled material, and it is highly resistant to stains and wear, making it ideal for Massachusetts home owners that want carpet that is both environmentally and family friendly.

"Massachusetts home and commercial property owners are always looking for new ways to make a positive impact on the environment, and recycled carpets are a stylish way to go green," Greenberg noted. "The team at A.J. Rose also contributes to the cause by recycling all the old carpets we tear out. It is not only the responsible thing to do; it also makes good business sense."

About A.J. Rose Carpets & Flooring:

Serving Massachusetts homeowners and commercial customers since 1977, A.J. Rose Carpets & Flooring specializes in flooring products and installation, offering a broad selection of carpets, area rugs and vinyl, hardwood and laminate flooring. Family owned and operated from the beginning, A.J. Rose also offers professional carpet and upholstery cleaning with the latest equipment to ensure a quality job. Visit one of their showrooms, located at 136 Cambridge Street (Route 3A) in Burlington and 599 Worcester Road (Route 9 West) in Natick, or find them online at www.ajrosecarpets.com. They can also be liked on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AJRoseCarpeting or reached by phone at 781-272-7600 in Burlington or 508-652-0770 in Natick.