ecomagination

Tremendous industrial growth has increased environmental awareness within the Xiaoshan Development Zone in China, with the GE Energy site in Hangzhou setting the benchmark for energy and resource management. In 2008, the site received the Xiaoshan Development Zone’s Best Safety Performance Company award for the third consecutive year. GE Energy also received special commendation for its energy saving and emissions reduction practices.

As part of its ongoing efforts to reduce its carbon footprint, GE Energy employees in Hangzhou conducted a two-and-a-half day “treasure hunt,” or site-wide energy audit, in January 2008. Their efforts identified 57 energy efficiency opportunities with an estimated $275,000 in annual savings and 1,412 million tons of greenhouse gas emission reductions. The team presented the “treasure hunt” methodology and findings to more than 300 companies and officials at the Xiaoshan Development Zone’s Annual Safety, Environment Protection and Energy Saving Meeting in March 2009 as part of the government’s goal to encourage other companies to adopt the “treasure hunt” process to reduce their own emissions.