Johns Manville Supports Energy Efficiency Organization in “The $20 Billion Bonanza”

Best Practice Programs Could Result in $20 Billion in Net Benefits and 28,000 Jobs

DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Denver-based building products manufacturer Johns Manville (JM) is proud to announce its support of the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project (SWEEP), an organization that today presented to Colorado legislators, policy officials and media a ground-breaking report entitled The $20 Billion Bonanza: Best Practice Electric Utility Energy Efficiency Programs and Their Benefits for the Southwest. The report’s recommendations, if adopted by public utilities in six southwestern states, could result in $20 billion in net benefits and 28,000 jobs by 2020.

“This report is tremendously impressive in terms of the impact that the recommendations can have on communities in Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming”

Johns Manville Director of Governmental and Regulatory Affairs and Associate General Counsel Bruce Ray, who serves on the board of directors for SWEEP, said Johns Manville is pleased to work with an organization that is so forward-thinking in the area of energy efficiency.

“This report is tremendously impressive in terms of the impact that the recommendations can have on communities in Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming,” said Ray. “By putting these best practices in place, we can achieve significant savings – both in dollars and in energy – and create tens of thousands of jobs. We hope that legislators and other officials in all six states take these recommendations into account as they create energy policy in the coming months and years.”

In The $20 Billion Bonanza report, SWEEP encourages utilities to promote all cost-effective energy efficiency measures including energy-efficient lighting, appliances, air conditioning systems, electronic devices, control systems, building envelope retrofits and better-performing new homes and commercial buildings.

Fred Stephan, vice president and general manager of Insulation Systems for Johns Manville, said SWEEP’s mission fits in perfectly with Johns Manville’s commitment to making buildings more energy-efficient. Johns Manville strongly supports the recommendations within The $20 Billion Bonanza report, he added.

“There are so many benefits associated with increasing the energy efficiency of our homes and businesses,” said Stephan. “A stronger focus on energy efficiency in the southwest will result in cost savings for homeowners and business owners, thousands of good-paying jobs, better air quality, and more appropriate water usage. The list truly goes on and on.”

Johns Manville’s commitment to sustainability was highlighted last Wednesday when the company was honored with a Colorado Environmental Leadership Award by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, in cooperation with the Pollution Prevention Advisory Board and the Colorado Environmental Partnership. The Colorado Environmental Leadership Awards recognize local organizations for voluntarily going beyond compliance with state and federal regulations and for their commitment to environmental responsibility.

About Johns Manville

Johns Manville, a Berkshire Hathaway company (NYSE: BRK.A, BRK.B), is a leading manufacturer and marketer of premium-quality building and specialty products. In business since 1858, the Denver-based company has annual sales of approximately $2.5 billion and holds leadership positions in all of the key markets that it serves. Johns Manville employs approximately 7,000 people and operates 45 manufacturing facilities in North America, Europe and China. Additional information can be found at www.jm.com.