RENTON, Wash. — Kenworth’s manufacturing plant in Renton, Wash. has been chosen to participate in a project to develop a new US standard for energy management in manufacturing plants.

Kenworth is one of only five companies chosen to participate in the Northwest Energy Management Demonstration Project, which is co-sponsored by the US Department of Energy and the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance, a press release from Kenworth said.

According to the project’s Web page, staff at the participating companies will work with energy experts to implement sustainable energy management systems in their own facilities.

“Our environmental efforts are of special importance, and this project offers a significant avenue to contribute to the development of enhanced best practices in manufacturing energy efficiency,” said Reid Nabarrete, Kenworth’s plant manager at Renton.

Kenworth said it was chosen for the project for its environmental accomplishments, including the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Air award.

The project began in October and is expected to run for 15 to 18 months. According to Kenworth’s release, the participating companies’ energy management strategies and systems will save energy, lower operational costs and carbon emissions, and will make the Renton facility eligible to be certified under the American National Standard Institute’s new accredited plant certification – which Kenworth says will inform the International Standard Organization’s upcoming ISO 500001 energy management standard.