“We are very pleased to have exceeded our targets on our path to operating as a net-zero energy company by 2020, hitting 57 percent renewable energy in 2016,” said Gene Murtagh, Kingspan’s CEO. “In the five years since launching this initiative, we have seen multiple benefits, including reductions in costs, less reliance on fossil fuels and demonstrating the business case for our systems and solutions. Without more action from the corporate sector, greenhouse gas emissions will continue to rise and the impact of global warming will become a bigger threat for future generations.”

Kingspan is pursuing regionally appropriate actions for reducing energy use, company officials said.

“The Kingspan team in North America has worked hard to deliver on the company’s net-zero energy targets. We have succeeded because every part of the business pulls its weight and makes reducing Kingspan’s carbon footprint a key business objective,” said Russell Shiels, president of Kingspan North America. “In the United States, we have taken particular pride in our DeLand, Florida, facility reaching the 80 percent renewable mark in 2016. The DeLand facility also serves as our North American panels business headquarters and is a great example of Kingspan’s global ambition.”

Globally, the Kingspan Group has taken a three-pronged approach to reducing its energy footprint, which includes saving more energy, generating more renewable energy and buying more renewably energy. Kingspan made the commitment to become a net-zero energy company by 2020 in 2011. The company has already reduced its carbon intensity by 26 percent, and has reduced lighting and heat costs by 30 percent.