COLUMBIA, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

W. R. Grace & Co. (NYSE: GRA - News) has received Responsible Care Energy Efficiency Awards, Facility Safety Certificates and a Performance Award from the American Chemistry Council (ACC) for implementing energy efficiency improvements and achieving certain safety and product stewardship milestones.

Individual ACC member companies nominated specific energy efficiency projects and safety milestone achievements for recognition. Winners were selected by members of the judging committee, and were recognized at the 2012 Responsible Care Conference and Expo in Hollywood, Florida on April 30.

The Responsible Care Energy Efficiency Awards Program is among ACCs many ongoing initiatives to improve energy efficiency in the chemical industry. In 2011, the total annual energy savings achieved by all of the projects that won ACC awards was 16.9 trillion BTUsenough to power all the homes in a city the size of Norfolk, Virginia for one year (95,000 housing units, according to the U.S. Census Bureau).

The Energy Efficiency Program Award is given to companies with broad programs to achieve energy-efficiency improvements, with components such as establishing energy teams, goal setting, communications, management support and recognition. Graces Alumina manufacturing plant in Lake Charles, Louisiana received an Energy Efficiency Program Award for reducing its steam and natural gas usage by 80% and 15%, respectively, from 2010 to 2011.

The Environmental Impact Award is given for initiatives with substantial environmental benefits, including reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, in addition to improvements in energy efficiency. Graces Lake Charles facility won an Environmental Impact Award for reducing the volume of waste water requiring treatment by 25% from 2010 to 2011.

The Non-Manufacturing Improvement Award is given for improvements resulting from energy-efficient lighting, insulation and other building improvements, and other non-manufacturing energy improvements. Graces global headquarters in Columbia, Maryland won a Non-Manufacturing Improvement Award for reducing its electricity and natural gas usage by 12% and 7%, respectively, from 2010 to 2011.

These changes reduced the companys annualized emissions of carbon dioxide by 8,594 short tons.

A total of 13 Grace locations received Facility Safety Certificates. Facilities in Cambridge, Massachusetts; Chattanooga and Mt. Pleasant, Tennessee; Chicago 51st Street and 65th Street, Illinois; Columbia, Maryland; East Chicago, Indiana; Edison, New Jersey; Hesperia, California; and Houston, Texas received Certificates of Excellence for having operated without fatalities, days away from work, safety-related job transfers or restricted work among both employees and contractors in 2011.

Graces facility in Chicago 71st Street, Illinois, received a Certificate of Honor for having operated without fatalities, days away from work or safety-related restricted work in 2011.

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Grace Receives Awards for Energy Efficiency, Safety and Product Stewardship Improvements