ABM Industries Improves Energy Star Rating

Facility services company ABM Industries has improved the average Energy Star rating of its facilities by five points in one year.

Between October 2009 and October 2010, ABM’s average Energy Star rating rose from 83 to 88, according to its 2010 corporate sustainability report.

But the report says that the number of ABM facilities with Energy Star ratings fell significantly, from 285 to just 79, because all 206 dropped facilities became ineligible to receive Energy Star ratings due to their operating characteristics or building type.

ABM, a $3.5 billion company with nearly 100,000 employees, provides janitorial, facility, engineering, parking and security services for commercial, industrial, government and retail clients.

The company’s total site energy use fell by 73 percent in the year to October 2010, while total weather-normalized source energy use fell by seven percent, from 16.7 to 14.5 billion kBtu.

Average site energy intensity also improved by 73 percent, and weather-normalized source energy intensity followed suit, falling seven percent from 176.2 to 163.3 kBtu per square foot.

ABM works with clients to identify and implement measures to reduce energy consumption. Many of these measures pay for themselves within two years, the company said.

The firm says it will enhance these capabilities with the acquisition of The Linc Group, which it bought in December 2010. TLG provides facilities services to improve operating efficiencies, reduce energy consumption and lower operating costs in the government, commercial and residential markets.

Other environmental accomplishments highlighted:

• ABM Green Care, an environmentally friendly cleaning service, now covers more than 250 million sq ft of client space. Green cleaning is an element of the LEED certification program, and ABM says it has helped more than 160 facilities gain or maintain the rating since launching Green Care in 2005.
• The ABM Security Services division has essentially eliminated paper forms from its operations and, where possible, requires its security officers to conduct patrols in electric or hybrid vehicles.
• The Ampco System Parking division has encouraged carpooling among commuters by providing discounted parking rates in the garages it operates and manages, and provides electrical charging stations for hybrid vehicles.

The report follows Global Reporting Initiative guidelines, and ABM said it is one of the first facility services firms of any size in the U.S. to release detailed information on its environmental practices.