Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) is partnering with the Environmental Protection Agency’s Eneregy Star program to develop energy-saving tools and resources for distilleries. One key initiative is an Energy Performance Indicator (EPI) benchmarking tool, which will enable distilleries to secure Energy Star certification for production facilities.
As the spirits industry upholds environmentally friendly practices and consumers demand higher sustainability standards, DISCUS’ partnership with Energy Star will help the industry understand best practices related to efficient energy in distilling facilities and beyond.
Energy Star has developed tools for over a dozen other industries, which are used to help companies in those sectors benchmark performance and earn recognition.
In order for the EPI benchmarking tool to work as intended, DISCUS is issuing a survey and seeking responses from a variety of production facilities that operate in different conditions and climates across the country to help distillers understand how facilities compare to others of similar size and operation. The questionnaire was developed by Energy Star and will be administered by Duke University. Survey responses are due by Saturday, August 24.
“The careful stewardship of the environment and natural resources is essential for the U.S. distilled spirits industry, due to the very nature of our agriculturally-based products,” said Chris Swonger, president and CEO of DISCUS. “We look forward to the launch of this EPI benchmarking tool for distilleries to secure nationally recognized certification for production facilities and overall cost-savings for their businesses.”