The May Top Partner Solutions are here! Check out this month’s lineup of real-world pathways for accelerating decarbonization and efficiency, including strategies such as geothermal installations, stakeholder engagement tactics, and more!
Lockheed Martin Drives Company-Wide Energy and Water Efficiency through Energy Playbook
Building on Lockheed Martin’s “Go Green” program, which champions environmental stewardship through resource efficiency, the partner created an internal benchmarking tool, the Energy Playbook. The benchmarking tool enables the company to have a streamlined, consistent approach to tracking and executing efficiency and decarbonization projects. Read more.
MGM Resorts Reduces Water Consumption with Landscaping and Irrigation Upgrades
Located in a water-stressed area, MGM Resorts implemented several solutions to reduce their water usage, such as replacing grass with artificial turf and drought-tolerant plants, installing irrigation control systems, and utilizing well water as opposed to municipal water. MGM Resorts’ water-saving initiatives in landscaping and irrigation helped the organization save approximately 13.9 billion gallons of water in its U.S. operations since 2007. Read more.
Triple Bottom Line Foundation and ICAST Enable Utility Solar Farm in Aztec, NM
Financial ally Triple Bottom Line Foundation worked with Better Climate Challenge ally ICAST to provide technical and financial support for a utility-solar farm in Aztec, NM. By bridging the financing gap, TBL Fund and ICAST enabled the city’s construction of a 2MW Solar PV farm and 4MW battery storage facilities, with an estimated $5 million in cost savings for the city over 25 years. Read more.
Carleton College Saves Natural Gas with Steam to Hot Water District Energy Transition
As part of its broader sustainability efforts, Carleton College built three geothermal bore fields with a total of 305 wells to provide heat to campus. In addition, the college replaced three historic steam boilers with five gas-fired boilers, lowering Carleton’s natural gas consumption by 60-70% and accelerating progress toward the partner’s decarbonization plans. Read more.
Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation Incentivizes Energy Conservation
With residents not directly responsible for their own utility bills at the Pondview Apartments, affordable housing provider Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation (JPNDC) sought to incentivize efficiency. JPNDC implemented building upgrades, resident education, and an energy challenge, which fostered a greater understanding among residents of their energy use and its impact. Read more.
UW Health Retro-Commissions University Hospital to Achieve Major Savings
UW Health saw an opportunity to curb University Hospital’s energy intensity through retro-commissioning after a successful project on their largest outpatient clinic yielded a 1-year payback. In partnership with an engineering firm, UW Health implemented efficiency upgrades reducing annual energy use by 27% and saving more than $2 million per year. Read more.
Hudson Pacific Properties’ Strategy for Reducing Portfolio-Wide GHG Emissions
Hudson Pacific Properties developed a strategy including various climate targets, policies, and procedures to advance decarbonization across a portfolio of office and studio properties. Through these efforts, Hudson Pacific Properties achieved 100% carbon neutral operations in 2020. Read more.
Boston’s Energy Data Optimization Process – Dashboards, Utility Bill Verification, and Open Data
To improve the city’s energy management process, Boston implemented a programmatic overhaul of energy data collection, analysis, and reporting. Incorporating a blend of in-house and outsourced strategies to optimize resources and staff availability, the program has provided customized real-time energy meter dashboards to public building engineers - enhancing transparency and accountability and recovering over $1.2M in utility billing errors in the first year. Read more.
The Wendy’s Company’s Comprehensive Energy Stewardship Program
As part of its comprehensive energy stewardship program, Wendy’s has taken a systematic approach to identifying and managing potential environmental impacts. In addition to controls and programs established in company restaurants, the partner has provided tools to franchisees to support energy efficiency efforts. Read more.