Queens, NY National manufacturer Crystal Window & Door Systems recently received a Green Award for its commitment to sustainable operations. In the July/August 2022 issue of leading national trade publication Door & Window Market (DWM), Crystal was named one of the magazine’s annual Green Award winners for the new rooftop solar system at its New York City production facility. The new system not only reduces the company’s electric needs and utility bills, but also reduces Crystal’s carbon footprint and contribution to greenhouse gas emissions.
“Crystal has always aggressively targeted ways to reduce energy usage and material waste in its production operations,” said Joseph Chang, vice president of production. “Now with this major solar electric generating system, we have taken matters to a whole new level.”
After several months of design and construction, including a full roof renovation, the new one-MW, 2,320-panel rooftop solar system is fully operational. The system is expected to generate nearly one million kW-h annually, providing up to 35% of Crystal’s total electricity needs at this facility. Crystal also utilizes hydropower for nearly 25% of its New York electricity needs. Attributed to the new system, the company’s recent electric bills already show a substantial reduction in utility-supplied electricity consumption.
Each year, DWM Magazine reviews fenestration industry products, production, and other corporate initiatives to highlight stellar examples of sustainable and environmentally responsible actions. This year, Crystal was one of nine companies, along with industry giants Jeld-Wen and Assa Abloy, featured in the Green Awards. In prior years, Crystal won another DWM Green Award for its energy-efficient residential vinyl product line.
“Our New York headquarters and factory building has over 100,000 s/f of unshaded usable roof space, so solar panels just made sense,” said Steve Chen, president of Crystal Windows. “Just as we are committed to providing state-of-the-art energy efficient products for home and building owners, we are committed to reducing our carbon footprint here in New York City and making our production facility as energy efficient as possible.”
According to the USEPA, replacing one million kW-h annually with solar energy eliminates over 1.5 million pounds of carbon dioxide per year from the atmosphere. That is the approximate equivalent of eliminating the greenhouse gas emissions from over ¾ million pounds of coal burned per year or annually removing 154 passenger vehicles from the road or by replacing 26,860 incandescent lamps with LEDs.
The significant use of renewable energy at the New York City facility is just one of many environmentally sustainable programs Crystal employs across its five national production facilities and broad product lines. Other initiatives include domestic material sourcing, scrap material recycling, extensive use of powder coat paint finishing on aluminum products, energy efficient facility operations, and optimized logistics for raw material and product transportation.
“Crystal truly appreciates the DWM Green Award this year for our rooftop solar system,” said Chen. “This was a great decision for our operations, a great way to help New York City and New York State achieve their greenhouse gas emission reduction targets, and a great way to create a more sustainable future for all.”
Crystal Window & Door Systems is one of the top 30 manufacturers in North America of replacement and new construction vinyl and aluminum window and door products and high-end fenestration systems. Crystal offers a full product line, rapid order-to-delivery times, quality workmanship, innovative product features, outstanding value, and an experienced and knowledgeable staff. Headquartered in New York, the company operates a national network of factories, branches, subsidiaries and affiliates in California, Illinois, Missouri, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.
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