Energy Audits

The popular burrito chain, Chipotle Mexican Grill, is planning on installing solar panels on 75 restaurants during the next year. In total, the panels should produce about 500 kilowatt hours of electricity, which Chipotle says will make it the largest direct producer of solar in the restaurant industry.

Chipotle estimates the solar panels will help eliminate more than 41 million pounds of of CO₂ emissions.

Chipotle Restaurants in Denver, Dallas, San Antonio and Austin are listed for locations to...

• Environmental Compliance Auditing
• Phase One Environmental Site Assessment
• Environmental, Health and Safety Audits
• Environmental Remediation Consulting
• Energy Audits
• Sustainable Business Development...

The words “energy” and “economy” seem to have been used with terms like crisis, shortage or problem all to often over the past several months. Given the state of the economy, the green movement and unpredictable energy costs, many companies in the manufacturing sector have been emphasizing the importance of saving not only money, but the environment. Larger corporations have begun “green-collar” worker training to conduct internal energy audits in order to identify cost saving opportunities.

There...

Here is a list of terms that you may hear when people are discussing environmental issues:
 

• Corporate Environmental Compliance
• Environmental Assessment and Remediation
• Environmental Due Diligence
• Environmental Management System
• Sustainability Solutions

These are all terms for macro issues related to environmental issues. The following terms are the micro issues or tasks that fulfill some of the regulatory requirements:

• SPCC Plan
• Tier Two Reporting
• Phase One Site Assessment
• ISO 14001
• Energy Audits

And the...

• Offices
• K-12 Schools
• Retail Stores
• Hospitals
• Hotels / Motels
• Supermarkets / Grocery Stores
• Banks / Financial Institutions
• Warehouses
• Medical Offices
• Courthouses
• Residence Halls / Dormitories

Have you seen this trend?

Companies are investing marketing dollars in sustainability initiatives to improve their social image with stakeholders and expand their client base to include green-conscious buyers. 

Examples are plentiful, but even in the health care industry, baseline energy audits and environmental compliance audits are replacing 5K runs and blood mobiles. 

Last week our local pet store offered to shred / recycle paper for pet litter and bedding as a community service.  The turnout...

Last month marked the two year anniversary of the launch of the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC). Thus far, more than 630 American Colleges and Universities have signed this voluntary commitment, which outlines necessary steps these higher education communities should implement to  combat global warming. The ACUPCCs signatories commit to the implementation of sustainable practices through the development of a plan of action that will eventually lead to campus...

Tenants, are you frustrated by rising energy costs?

Meet with your building owner and ask them to perform an energy audit and make upgrades.  Many potential building improvements may qualify for tax credits that could benefit the owner.

If your owner complains that they don't have the capital to make building improvements, consider offering them a percentage of your energy savings in the form of a rent increase.  This arrangement allows the building owner to recoup some of their costs and...