Construction Liaison, Jamison Lenz of AmeriCorps states, “This house follows a standard tried and true building procedure that… is a good comprise of efficiency and affordability.” He continued saying most homeowners see a 40 percent reduction in monthly utilities compared to standard homes. These savings are thanks in part to a tightly sealed building envelop.

Local Standard Lumber and Andersen employees donate time to build

Such a tight building envelop requires the use of an energy recovery ventilator (ERV) bringing fresh air inside while minimizing energy loss. The use of low VOC caulks, sealants and paint, Green Label Plus carpet and SCS Indoor Advantage Gold certified windows donated by Andersen, also helps ensure healthy indoor air quality.

These energy efficient homes remind us of the importance to factor in all the operating costs such as heating, cooling and lighting, when calculating the true cost of a home.

The project, with support from the local utility company, replaced all 400-watt metal halide lighting with energy efficient T8 fluorescent fixtures.

Recycled halide fixtures

Careful steps were taken to keep scrap out of the waste stream as every component from the old fixtures was recycled – earning them a check for $3,500 from the recycler!

Ballasts in the old fixtures were going bad and made a constant buzzing noise. The new fixtures eliminate the noise while providing a much brighter work space. Additionally, they’ll reduce greenhouse gas emissions by over 200,000 pounds annually.

Tangible dollar savings on the balance sheet and emissions tracking is what gets projects like this approved. However, as we realize the benefits of greening our operations and supply chain, we’re continually reminded of the elusive benefits – brighter and quieter work area – that are real, even if they aren’t easy to measure and quantify. As we evolve along the sustainability journey, so too must the tools we use to measure return on investment (ROI).

Low-E glass: A common term referring to glass that has low emissivity due to a film or metallic coating on the glass or suspended between two panes of glass to restrict the passage of radiant heat.

Low-E limits solar heat from entering a home while at the same time limiting heat from escaping. While it feels good to have the heat from the sun enter our home on a frigid northern winter day, the winter sun sets early and darkness claims the majority of a 24 hour day. Without the help of Low-E, the heat from our furnaces (and cool air from conditioners in the summer) quickly escapes out non-coated dual pane windows.

A range of Low-E glass options are available from most window manufacturers with varying degrees of solar heat gain, ultraviolet light protection and visible light transmission. For more information on Low-E glass types look here.

Prior to the development of Low-E, windows were uncoated single or double pane glass. Dual pane glass with Low-E coatings significantly improves energy efficiency and has saved consumers billions of dollars in energy costs according to the National Academy of Sciences.

EI's Policy Forum Series: 2012 Legislative Preview

Topics ranged from aquatic invasive species to transportation challenges. But the topic creating the most buzz revolved around the representatives’ 2011 visit to Germany regarding the similarities and differences among our long term energy strategies.

Minnesota has greater renewable energy resources with wind and solar, yet Germany is further down the technological journey around energy conservation and implementation. Their ambitious goal of achieving 24 percent less green house gas (GHG) emissions by 2020 (based on 1990 levels) dwarfs the U.S. commitment of 19 percent below 2007 levels. That commitment was made two years ago in Copenhagen, according to Representative Kate Knuth (District 50B, New Brighton). Although many critics argue whether this is realistically attainable, these are impressive goals and could no doubt result in great gains.

Legislative Preview - Networking Break

While the options for solving these issues varied as much as the topics, what’s refreshingly different among this group of EI supporters is the ability and willingness to find common ground and implement creative, win/win solutions. This collaboration is a welcome change from the increasingly common trend these days for parties to hold that line in their opposing views, which leads to gridlock and halts productive action. Perhaps the EI staff and supporters should take their show on the road!

Our last post addressed Product Stewardship. One way to accurately measure a product’s impact on the environment is to conduct an LCA. An LCA is a mass balance of all inputs and outputs of a product; it includes the mining of raw materials, manufacturing, transportation, and energy required to use the product as well as the impacts after its original intended use has ended (the product is either land filled or recycled back into a new product).

Once product category rules are in place and LCAs are conducted, manufacturers can place Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) on their products. These are factual labels and differ from single-attribute green certifications in that they don’t declare superior “greenness” of the product. They simply state data about the product’s environmental impacts. For example, they would indicate “XX” amount of water consumed and/or “XX” amount of energy used. The labels will help reduce confusion and allow customers to make purchases best aligned with their values. Additionally, EPDs foster transparency and will ultimately promote product stewardship.

Best Buy hosted the event at their headquarters in Bloomington, MN. A panel of experts addressed drivers ranging from customer demand to regulatory mandates, and discussed challenges facing manufacturers. Additionally, strategies were offered to minimize a product’s overall environmental impact.

Some common themes arose throughout the presentations and breakout sessions. Product stewardship is one contributing factor to the overall sustainability efforts of successful companies. Integrating it into the vision is key to ensuring it’s engrained in all processes and not perceived as extra work. Regulatory efforts can be effective, however industry-leading companies tend to stay ahead of looming governmental mandates as their core values guide them towards long term success.

Next year’s topics are in the works and will continue the theme of covering issues relevant to organizations, NGO’s, governmental agencies and individual citizens alike. Environmental concerns like water consumption, energy use, air quality and others know no boundaries. The consensus is that solutions addressing these issues require collaboration. We commend Environmental Initiative for their successful work in bringing all parties together and implementing solutions that work for all.

The five core ECO3 Warriors meet twice a month for an hour. They work on and around the production floor and continually look for ways to reduce waste and/or improve efficiency. They also receive suggestions from co-workers. A recent project redesigned a material sequencing process that resulted in a 24.5-ton annual reduction of cardboard waste. Another project partnered with the neighboring 3M facility 1.5 miles away. Over a 1½-year period, Renewal sent more than 127 tons of sawdust for use as fuel by 3M.

ECO3 Warriors: Denise Filler, Toni Harvey, Justin Kunkel-Smith, Sara Anderson, Amanda Guerin.

“Every project that is completed is another step closer to helping the community and saving the environment,” said Amanda Guerin, site safety coordinator and an ECO3 Warrior. Of course, what companies are learning is that sustainability efforts, like those of Renewal’s ECO3 Warriors, save money as well.

This is the third year in a row Andersen has been awarded Energy Efficiency Partner. Many of the conservation efforts made to achieve this award are done behind the scenes and not easily seen by those not directly involved, according to Karen Rhodes, Xcel Energy efficiency marketing manager. Therefore these awards are a way to congratulate these businesses and help give recognition and bring awareness to their employees and customers for what’s happening behind the scenes.

Read the news release here.

Each day during the build in Luray, coffee was donated by Chesapeake Bay Roasting Company (CBRC) – not your run of the mill coffee shop. Like Habitat, CBRC is committed to making the world around us a better place to live for everyone. Modern roasting technologies lower their carbon footprint by nearly 80 percent and 2 percent of sales support their H2O Initiative – dedicated to restoring the Chesapeake Bay Watershed and ecosystem.

Habitat site in Luray, VA.

Kudos to Chesapeake Bay Roasting Company for their efforts! Habitat for Humanity job sites host collaborative efforts among companies who share common values and goals. While the rewards of building a Habitat home are reason enough to volunteer, rich experiences and relationships are gained even when sharing a simple cuppa joe.