SC Johnson is planning to use geothermal energy to power its Racine headquarters, a move that will greatly reduce the company’s environmental footprint and positions the company as a leader in the private sector in the transition to cleaner, renewable energy sources.

The compay plans to install a GeoExchange system at its iconic Frank Lloyd Wright-designed campus to provide sustainable heating and cooling throughout the facilities, using the constant temperature of the Earth. The project – which is pending city and state approvals – is expected to reduce energy usage by an estimated 42 percent. There is a 40 percent reduction made up of decreasing consumption from the implementation of a GeoExchange system, including transforming the current boiler facility to a new energy efficient thermal plant, and an additional 2 percent reduction by utilizing PV for renewable energy. Combined with other sustainable projects, the facility will save another 15 to 20 percent in energy usage, resulting in a total facility-wide reduction of 57 to 62 percent of the current energy load.

“As a global company, you think about your footprint in all the places you operate and how to minimize your impact,” said Fisk Johnson, chairman and CEO of SC Johnson. “Leading the industry in an environmentally responsible manner starts at home. For us, that meant taking a look at our operations and finding where we can lessen our impact by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, addressing air quality and increasing the amount of energy offset from renewable resources. Transitioning to geothermal energy at our headquarters goes a long way toward accomplishing those goals.”