Press release
North America
June 26, 2009

This is what climate protection looks like

ACRYLITE®: High-Tech Material Pairs Economy with Climate Protection — Global Image Campaign is launched in North America by Evonik Cyro.

"This is what climate protection looks like" is the motto of the North American ACRYLITE® acrylic sheet climate protection campaign now being launched. "We aren't just paying lip service here — we intend to show that our high-tech material enables users throughout the continent to take cost-effective and environmentally conscious action," says Stephen Costanzo, General Manager of Evonik Cyro’s Acrylic Sheet Business Line. With its favorable heat insulation, ACRYLITE® DEGLAS high impact acrylic double-skinned sheet reduces energy consumption in greenhouses, and therefore automatically cuts operators' CO2 emissions. This means they can make an active contribution to climate protection and reduce their monthly overheads at the same time. "Saving energy means cutting costs and CO2. Greenhouses represent a major long-term investment. By planning with foresight and using ACRYLITE® DEGLAS sheet products, these potential savings can be secured for decades. That is an ideal combination," says Michael Ehmann, North American ACRYLITE® DEGLAS Manager.

The central element of the campaign is the Web site www.acrylite-and-energy.com. At this site, greenhouse operators can access information on each of the ACRYLITE® DEGLAS acrylic sheet products and review case studies from actual users in Europe, the United States and Canada.

Energy is a crucial cost factor for greenhouse operators. In North America, for instance, growers spend $1 to $2 per square foot heating their greenhouses in the winter and cooling them in the summer. ACRYLITE® DEGLAS sheet requires much less energy due to its better insulation. Operators who make efficient use of energy not only make a positive contribution to climate protection, but also save money. For example, a greenhouse operator with 8 acres of growing area might save over two hundred and fifty thousand dollars annually on energy costs. As energy costs rise, this proportion also increases.

What is more, greenhouses with ACRYLITE® DEGLAS sheet offer higher light transmission, which makes many plant varieties grow faster and thrive better. This is a crucial advantage in the market, and is also worthwhile because of the reduced operating costs. On top of this, there is the material's guaranteed service life, extreme toughness and low cleaning requirements, which sustainably lower operating expenses. Evonik now guarantees that clear ACRYLITE® DEGLAS sheet products will show no visible yellowing and retain their high light transmission for 30 years.

Within the campaign, further fields of application will be presented where companies can take cost-effective action by using ACRYLITE® acrylic sheet and effectively contribute to climate protection too. In production facilities, light domes made of ACRYLITE® HEATSTOP acrylic sheet cut energy costs for air conditioning. In signage, ACRYLITE® SignFlex™ and ACRYLITE® EndLighten acrylic sheet not only achieve unusual effects, but also reduce the energy requirement. And when it comes to power generation, ACRYLITE® HEATSTOP sheet enables highly-efficient symbiotic developments.

To learn more about our climate protection campaign, visit our Web site — www.acrylite-and-energy.com.

Good for Green Designs

ACRYLITE sheet products comply with Evonik Cyro’s commitment to minimize our environmental impact. Operating under the Guiding Principles of Responsible Care®, Evonik Cyro strives to continuously improve its health, safety, and environmental performances. As a national member of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), Evonik Cyro takes environmental stewardship a step further. The goal is to improve the environment by supplying sustainable and long-living acrylic products to the green building sector and to all other markets served. To review Evonik Cyro’s complete green statement, please visit www.cyro.com.