by Deborah Conn

“Green” is the watchword of the 21st century, and organizations throughout the country are exploring ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, lower energy usage, and reuse and recycle materials. Although the O&P industry faces particular challenges, facilities and fabricators can take steps to reduce their environmental impact. 

From simple recycling programs to lean manufacturing practices to “green buildings,” O&P professionals are finding opportunities to consume less and use resources more effectively. 

Small Changes, Big Savings 
Fabtech Systems, based in Mukilteo, Washington, has been organized around ways of reducing waste and energy usage. “When you have a system that addresses waste, you see it everywhere,” says President Greg Mattson, RTPO. “We’ve empowered our employees to notice waste and ask a lot of questions.” 

A long-time environmentalist, surfer, and mountain biker, Mattson practices “lean manufacturing,” a management style popularized by Toyota that focuses on waste reduction. “As a lean company, we have the ability to schedule production to conserve energy. For example, in the summer, we use ovens first thing in the morning, when it’s cooler, so we don’t have to jack up the air conditioning. We turn off machines when they’re not needed. For instance, we don’t need to have the infrared oven on all the time.” 

Small changes can add up. Mattson has switched out light bulbs for high-efficiency lighting and made other lighting changes as well. “We have a 6,000-square-foot building with 40-foot ceilings. Before, we had bulbs that were trying to illuminate the entire space. Now we’ve built dropped-down light stations over the machines, and employees turn off the lights when they’re not using them.” 

Mattson also has found that by properly managing his inventory, he can reduce both costs and his carbon footprint by avoiding next-day air shipping. “One metric ton shipped next-day air requires 33,000 BTUs,” he says. “If you use ground shipping, it’s only 3,000 BTUs.” 

PEL Supply’s Gary Mahler is trying to reduce the use of paper in his office. “We’re using e-mail more and electronic spreadsheets to keep track of projects instead of printing things out,” he says. “We used to run end-of-month reports that easily consumed a ream and a half of paper. Most recipients took a quick look and then shoved it into a desk drawer. Now we distribute it electronically.” The company also makes invoices available online and mails paper statements only to customers who request them. 

Sometimes, all you need is to see the savings. An idea that has proved effective in homes could mean significant savings for businesses as well. Entrepreneur Luke Fishback recently founded a company to install electric meters in home kitchens and set up Web links so residents can see, at any given time, how much power they are using. He installed a $30 meter in his kitchen and linked it to his Internet site. By monitoring his own usage, he has cut his electricity costs in half. 

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle 
Not surprisingly, recycling is one of the most common green practices among O&P facilities. Freedom Fabrication, in Havana, Florida, hauls scrap aluminum to a recycling center and gets paid for it, says Tony Wickman, RTPO. 

Many facilities recycle glass, plastic bottles, paper and cardboard. That can be difficult when the local community has no recycling pick-up, but some, like Gary Mahler, just collect bags of cans and bottles and deliver them to recycling centers. 

Mattson saves significantly by reusing cardboard boxes. “We slap a sticker on the box explaining it’s recycled,” he says. “We’ve had no complaints from customers. And I’m spending about $3,000 instead of $10,000 a year on brand-new boxes.” 

Fabtech uses recycled materials and equipment when possible, including paper, printers, and faxes in the office. Instead of paper towels, the company is switching to towels that can be washed and reused, and employees are bringing their own cups to the water cooler. 

More problematic are some of the materials used in fabrication. Freedom Fab’s Wickman notes that thermoplastics cannot be recycled unless the source can be guaranteed. “Even though we know we have fairly good grade plastic, I can’t track the source,” he says. “And plastics are especially bad for the environment because the reason we use them is they’re so tough.” Plaster also is a significant waste product in fabrication, and it, too, is difficult to recycle. 

Sustainable Buildings 
One way to make a big difference in your business’ carbon footprint is by “greening” your building. The U.S. Department of Energy reports that buildings account for 39 percent of all carbon dioxide emissions that affect climate change. Yet advanced green buildings routinely reduce energy usage by 30 to 50 percent over conventional buildings, according to the North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation. 

How does one go about creating—or retrofitting—a building that uses less energy? The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) operates a program for the design, construction, and operation of high-performance green buildings that leads to reduced energy use, along with reduced water use, reduced landfill waste, and improved indoor air quality. In addition to new construction, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) offers a rating system for existing buildings, establishing a benchmark for building owners and operators to measure operations, improvements, and maintenance. It addresses whole-building cleaning and maintenance issues, recycling programs, exterior maintenance programs, and systems upgrades. 

“When a project registers for LEED certification, the team signals its intent to follow a path outlined in the reference guide,” says Ashley Katz, USGBC communications coordinator. “We also recommend they have a LEED-accredited professional on the project team. There are 53,000 LEED accredited professionals around the country.” 

According to the USGBC, green buildings improve air and water quality, reduce solid waste, and conserve natural resources. But sustainable building practices also save money by reducing energy costs. Cleveland-based PEL Supply Systems recently upgraded the lighting systems in its warehouse and customer service area. “The drop in our annual power usage is expected to save us about $2,500 a year, with another $900 to $1,000 in savings on bulb and ballast replacement,” says President Gary Mahler. “Our return on investment is projected at 24 percent with payback for expenditure in 4.1 years. And the change has greatly enhanced visibility in the warehouse.” 

Buildings can be built to LEED for not a penny more than conventional construction, but the rule of thumb is that the average 2 percent increase in upfront costs in design and materials yields overall savings of 20 percent in future years. 

Katz points to a reduction in “soft costs” as well. “Owners of LEED-certified buildings have reported that their employees are more productive, they have less turnover, and they are more successful at recruitment,” she notes. Because salaries represent a major cost for any business, improving worker satisfaction with better lighting, temperature, and ventilation can have a major impact on the bottom line. 

Start Somewhere 
Learning how to go green can be challenging, but O&P business owners can consult a wealth of resources. 

Additionally, nonprofits and public agencies may help defray the cost of environmental improvements. The prospect is appealing to Wickman, who says, “Florida just introduced some new energy programs that allow us to deduct up to 50 percent of the cost of solar panels from our taxes. They also offer low-interest loans.” The Small Business Environmental Home Page (see below) offers links to Small Business Environmental Assistance Programs and funding sources. 

Another program, Energy Star for Small Business, run by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy, offers information, recognition, and support for reducing energy use. 

Whatever route you take to going green, and no matter how far you take it, it’s vital that you do something. “Anything is better than nothing,” says Mattson. “The responsibility is with all of us. There’s no business to be done on a dead planet.”

WEB LINKS

American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy
www.aceee.org
A nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing energy efficiency as a means of promoting economic prosperity and environmental protection.

Energy Star for Small Business
www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=small_business.sb_index
An EPA-run source of technical support, information, and awards for going green.

GreenBiz.com
www.greenbiz.com
An information clearinghouse on sustainable business practices.

Green Power Partnership
www.epa.gov/greenpower
A program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that provides information to companies about consuming energy from green sources.

Small Business Environmental Home Page
www.smallbiz-enviroweb.org 
A page designed to help small businesses access environmental compliance and pollution prevention information.

The Source for Renewable Energy
http://energy.sourceguides.com
An online buyer’s guide and business directory to more than 12,000 renewable energy businesses and organizations worldwide.

U.S. Business Council for Sustainable Development
www.usbcsd.org
A nonprofit association of businesses that delivers collaborative projects to its members and partners both to demonstrate leadership on sustainable development and to realize business value.

U.S. Green Building Council
www.usgbc.org
A nonprofit corporation dedicated to sustainable building design and construction.

Deborah Conn is a freelance writer based in Falls Church, VA. Reach her at debconn@cox.net.