C. F. Martin & Company, Inc.: Energy performance

Better Buildings, Better Plants Challenge partners strive to decrease source energy use intensity (EUI) and to increase the percent improvement compared to a set baseline year. As part of the Better Plants Challenge, Martin Guitar has pledged to improve the energy intensity at their Pennsylvania manufacturing facility by 25% over a ten-year period. This voluntary pledge aligns with Martin Guitar's existing commitments to sustainability and environmental stewardship, which have been highlighted by their investment in a complete overhaul of the facility's HVAC system. This project was completed partway through 2016 and involved the replacement of 24 separate rooftop units with a centralized plant. The project has significantly reduced natural gas and electricity consumption, helping Martin Guitar meet their goal.

C. F. Martin & Co. was founded in 1833 and has been continuously family-owned and operated for six generations. Its historic Nazareth, Pennsylvania, manufacturing plant is its only facility in the Better Plants Challenge. The HVAC overhaul completed in 2016 has helped significantly improve their energy intensity, for a total improvement of 27% in 2021, over the 2014 baseline. The manufacturing part of the facility underwent a LED lighting upgrade in 2018. Administrative areas were phased in the past two years, and we will be doing parking lot and building exterior lighting this year.

Energy, production, and temperature data for Martin Guitar's plant are aggregated on a monthly basis and processed using the DOE Energy Performance Indicator (EnPI) tool. The EnPI tool's model predicts monthly electricity and natural consumption based on the variations in production volumes, cooling degree days, and heating degree days. Plant performance is then assessed based on the difference between actual energy consumption and expected energy consumption based on the model.