5.23.2006 ET

(CSRwire) The Organizing Committee of the 28th Annual Industrial Energy Technology Conference, (IETC), in New Orleans, Louisiana presented Dow with an award for leadership in energy management. Sponsored by the Energy Systems Laboratory, Texas A&M University System, Louisiana Dept. of Natural Resources, the U.S. Department of Energy, and the Texas State Energy Conservation Office, this conference brought together members of the industrial energy community from regions of the world such as North America, Europe and the Middle East to share best practices and the latest industrial innovations in energy management and waste reduction. As an energy-intensive company that has made tremendous strides toward improving global energy efficiency, Dow was among two companies honored with this year's IETC award.

This award recognized Dow for its strong global focus on energy efficiency and recent results, including:

*achieving aggressive EH&S 2005 goals related to energy efficiency -- reducing our energy intensity by 22% from 1994 - 2005 *maintaining strong corporate support and an energy efficiency organization to drive results at the site and business levels *using proven Six Sigma methodology and industry best practices to accelerate energy efficiency improvements *supporting external energy efficiency programs to help other energy consumers save energy, such as the Alliance to Save Energy's "Power is in Your Hands" residential energy efficiency campaign and the U.S. Department of Energy's "Save Energy Now" industrial energy efficiency campaign.

"Dow has long been an industry leader in energy efficiency, and this award not only recognizes our efforts and achievements but also enables us to further lead by example among our peers in industry," said Joe Almaguer, global energy efficiency leader, who accepted the award on Dow's behalf at the IETC conference today. "Collectively, all energy consumers can make a significant impact on energy consumption and energy independence."

From 1994 to 2005 Dow saved approximately $4 billion through energy efficiency efforts, helping to mitigate the impact of rising energy costs, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. On May 3 Dow announced an aggressive corporate goal to further reduce its worldwide energy intensity by 25% from 2005 to 2015.

"Effective energy management is critical to the global competitiveness of any energy-intensive manufacturer," said John Dearborn, global vice president for Energy. "Dow aims to lead by example among other industrial energy consumers. Energy efficiency is a win-win for the environment and the economy."

About Dow:

Dow is a diversified chemical company that harnesses the power of science and technology to improve living daily. The Company offers a broad range of innovative products and services to customers in more than 175 countries, helping them to provide everything from fresh water, food and pharmaceuticals to paints, packaging and personal care products. Built on a commitment to its principles of sustainability Dow has annual sales of $46 billion and employs 42,000 people worldwide. References to "Dow" or the "Company" mean The Dow Chemical Company and its consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise expressly noted.

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