Canadian manufacturer wins US Environmental Protection Agency Clean Air Excellence Award

May 14th, 2009 4:04 AM

Canadian manufacturer wins US Environmental Protection Agency Clean Air Excellence Award (Washington, May 13, 2009) The Industrial Chimney Company (ICC) of Quebec received an EPA Clean Air Excellence Award for its revolutionary wood-burning fireplace design today in Washington DC. Presented by Senator Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, The EPA Clean Air Excellence Awards celebrate programs, projects, or technologies that reduce emissions of hazardous or toxic air pollutants; are innovative and unique; provide a model for others to follow; and result in continuing and sustainable outcomes. Award categories include: Clean Air Technology, Community Action, Education/Outreach, Regulatory/Policy Innovations and Transportation Efficiency Innovations. The Renaissance Rumford™ 1000, which has won other awards, is a clean burning and easy to use alternative to traditional open fireplaces. The highly insulated firebox and chimney heat up quickly - within two minutes of lighting the match the fire is burning brightly and there is no visible smoke from the chimney. Another feature is the hideaway or guillotine door that drops down to seal off the fireplace. This allows owners to enjoy the bright fire, while leaving the attractive herringbone brick design exposed. Ray Bonar, Vice-President of Marketing at ICC, observed, “We have an excellent, high quality product - our engineers and designers are among the best in the business – so we’re never surprised when their work is recognized. But this award from the EPA is a real honour.” “Wood-burning isn’t very well understood by the public,” Bonar stated. He added, “As manufacturers, part of our job is to offer clean, functional units and make sure people know about them. Wood is a renewable fuel – you can think of it as stored sunshine. Wood burning doesn’t contribute to net green house gases because it doesn’t release any more carbon dioxide than if the wood had been left to break down in the forest. It means burning fewer fossil fuels, emitting fewer greenhouse gas emissions, and protecting the environment.” The Renaissance Rumford™ 1000’s performance is exceptional. Independent certification testing has shown that, with the door open, the Rumford reduces emissions by about 70% compared to a typical fireplace, and over 90% when the door is closed. It also garnered a three Vesta Awards in 2007 as the first low-emission wood burning fireplace ever certified. These high performance standards are crucial to the future of the wood burning industry, and the environment. The Renaissance Rumford provides a renewable, clean burning wood fuel option for urban, suburban and rural dwellings. -30- To arrange interviews, or to secure high resolution images of Mr. Bonar’s EPA Clean Air Excellence Award presentation or the Renaissance Rumford™ 1000, contact: Tina Siegel, e|c|o, 416 -972-7401, tsiegel@ecostrategy.ca Industrial Chimney Company was established in 1991 by a small group of partners with over 75 years combined experience in the chimney industry. Located north of Montreal, in St. Jerome, Quebec, the ICC strives to provide products which enable better, faster installations while using fewer parts and improving installation efficiency. They manufacture the most complete line of high efficiency, clean burning fireplaces on the market (http://www.icc-rsf.com). The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) leads the United States’ environmental science, research, education and assessment efforts. The mission of the Environmental Protection Agency is to protect human health and the environment. Since 1970, EPA has been working for a cleaner, healthier environment for the American people.