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Bridgestone Firestone’s Warren Facility Earns Prestigious LEED Certification from U.S. Green Building Council Facility is first tire plant in the world to be awarded LEED certification

NASHVILLE, TENN. (Nov. 17, 2008) — Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC.’s (BFNT) Warren County Plant has earned LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. LEED is a recognition of outstanding environmental building design and utilization that is rarely given to existing manufacturing sites. This is the first LEED certification for a tire plant in the world.

LEED was designed by the U.S. Green Building Council to encourage the development of more sustainable buildings. LEED is used by the EPA to certify its buildings and promote energy and resource efficiency, waste reduction and pollution prevention practices, indoor air quality standards, and other environmental initiatives for both new construction and existing buildings.

BFNT’s Warren County tire plant has an impressive track record of environmental performance including its use of clean energy hydrogen fuel cells in automated-guided vehicles in the plant. Energy-efficient lighting, hi-tech fans, and resource-conserving fixtures in restrooms are also part of the Warren County Plant’s environmental conservation efforts. The BFNT Warren County facility has significantly reduced energy consumption and has reduced water consumption in the plant by more than 8 million gallons a year.

“We are extremely proud of this recognition by the U.S. Green Building Council,” said BFNT Warren County Plant Manager Ron Brooks. “Environmental stewardship and a strong commitment to community are major initiatives of our facility and of our company. We knew we had outstanding programs and activities in place to make this goal become a reality,” Brooks continued.

This type of recognition is rare for an existing building and even more impressive for the Warren County truck and bus tire plant which was built 19 years ago. It is only the second existing manufacturing site in the country to earn this certification.

“We are honored to be the first tire plant in the world to achieve LEED certification and the second existing manufacturing building in the United States to achieve this recognition,” said BFNT’s Director of Environmental Management, Greer Tidwell. “Since most LEED certifications are awarded to new buildings (typically office environments), our team had to work very hard to meet the stringent standards necessary to achieve LEED,” Tidwell concluded. “While climate change is a global problem, innovative companies like Bridgestone Firestone are addressing it through local solutions,” said Kim Shinn, Director, U.S. Green Building Council. “Achieving LEED Silver certification is not an easy accomplishment. It takes diligence, long-term commitment and leadership.”

“Existing buildings make up 95% of the buildings, and only about 5% of buildings are replaced each year,” added Shinn, who is also a Principal of TLC Engineering for Architecture, a sustainability consulting firm, with offices in Nashville and the southern United States. “Building a new facility to green building standards is laudable and good for the earth. However, we have a more immediate challenge. We must reach into our current buildings and raise them to the green operation and maintenance standards of LEED for Existing Buildings. Bridgestone Firestone is clearly showing the way to respond to the most-important challenges of our time,” Shinn concluded.

Brooks credits BFNT Warren County Facilities Manager Muneer Chowdhury for his hard work and for initially proposing the idea for LEED, and Kelsan, Inc., one of the Warren Plant’s supplier partners, for ongoing support in getting the LEED certification. Brooks also commends BFNT teammates who were led by Engineering/Maintenance Division Manager Vern Duncan; Environmental Engineer Sean Fisher; and Powerhouse Manager Herb Cannon for their long hours and dedication to achieving this goal. Their efforts, along with support and technical guidance from Bridgestone America Holdings’ Director of Environmental Affairs Tim Bent and Tidwell, made this recognition possible.

This year, in addition to achieving LEED Silver status, the Warren County Plant also received the Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Award for Pollution Prevention and the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce Air Quality Excellence Award. The Warren County facility is one of the few plants across the state that offers on-site Corporate Lands for Learning programs. In partnership with the Warren County School system and the National Wildlife Habitat Council, this educational cooperative uses volunteers and educators to help thousands of children learn about ecology, nature, science and environmental responsibility. The facility has also donated ten free tire inflation stations that are placed throughout Warren County to promote proper tire inflation pressure and to optimize fuel economy and environmental awareness for county residents. Since installation in Sept. 2007, these stations have been used more than 35,000 times.

“When it comes to the environment, we are truly ‘One Team, One Planet,’” Brooks concluded.

About Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC:
Nashville, Tenn.-based Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC (BFNT) is a subsidiary of Bridgestone Americas Holding, Inc., whose parent company, Bridgestone Corporation, is the world’s largest tire and rubber company. BFNT develops, manufactures and markets Bridgestone, Firestone and associate brand tires. The company is focused on wholesale and original equipment markets, supplying passenger, light truck, commercial vehicle, off road, motorcycle, agricultural and other tires to its customers in North America. In addition, through its Bridgestone Bandag Tire Solutions unit, retreading customers have access to industry-leading research and development, manufacturing, marketing and sales expertise, providing them with a total tire solution.