Sustainability And Economy Behind Plant Renovations

June 18, 2008

Email this story Print this post Add your comments

Companies don’t just renovate their plants for safety reasons anymore. Sustainability and energy efficiency are increasingly becoming the reasons for major operation overhauls, foodprocessing.com reports.

Another major incentive is that smaller companies are part of larger companies’ supply chains and can’t play with the big boys if they can’t show their own corporate social responsibility.

Aside from trimming down operation costs by adding hybrids to fleets and changing light bulbs, national programs like LEED, Energy Star and government programs like the DOE’s Save Energy Now program are playing increasingly important roles in encouraging companies to revamp their ops.

Results from a survey conducted last year found reduced energy use the No.1 goal for companies with sustainability initiatives.

Sixty-four percent of food and beverage companies had some sustainability goals in place. Sixty-four percent of companies with more than 10,000 employees have sustainability goals. On the other hand, only 40 percent of private companies and 28 percent of food companies with fewer than 100 employees, have sustainability goals.

Big retailers are well on the way to economizing their operations. Office Depot, Best Buy, and Target are just three of the many retailers interested in LEED-certified prototype stores.

Email this story Print this post Add your comments

Advertisers

Enhance Sustainability. Improve Profitability.

Learn how at the SAP Sustainability Resource Center. >>

Unclear about the EPA's new GHG Rule?

Learn how it could affect your business. >>

EPA mandatory emissions reporting starts Jan 1st

CSA Standards can help your organization get ready for compliance. Find out how. >>

Best Practices: Product Environmental Compliance

How to achieve compliance at a significantly lower cost. Download the full report. >>

Join the Discussion

Recent Daily News [ see all ]

11/20/2009
11/19/2009
11/18/2009

Charts [ see all ]

European Paper Industry Cuts CO2 Emissions by 42% since 1990

S. America Takes Most Urgent View of Copenhagen Talks

Nike Tops Annual Climate Action Scores

Oceans May Trap more Carbon than Forests

Jobs

View All Jobs >> Post a Job >>

Comments and Discussions

Trade Association on Trade Group on EPA Chemical Regs: ‘If Everything is a Priority, Then Nothing is a Priority’
"Seriously… that..."

Gary Markowitz on Supermarkets Tackle Emissions Reductions, Fuel Efficiency
"Supermarkets waste over 10 percent of their energy through improper..."

peter in ireland on Ontario May Follow California’s Lead on TV Energy Efficiency
"Governor Schwarzenegger is shooting himself in the foot! 1...."

Environmental Leader on S. America Takes Most Urgent View of Copenhagen Talks
"The survey respondents (the PDF report mentions 4,000 respondents in 38..."

Jake on UPS Trying New Hydraulic Hybrid Trucks
"A point of clarification: the Reuters press release referenced herein reports that 20 UPS will purchase..."

Custom Organic Shirts on S. America Takes Most Urgent View of Copenhagen Talks
"90% of North Americans believe it is urgent to get a global climate..."

peter dublin on California City’s Green Building Ordinance Applies to Commercial Buildings
"Why energy efficiebnt regulation on buildings –..."

Environmental Leader