With the increase in the urgency to combat climate change, the manufacturing industry is beginning to take responsibility for its actions and transitioning into greener practices with the “Go Green” movement. Nevertheless, the current economic situation is not supportive for manufacturers to spend the high up-front costs of being environmentally sustainable and waiting for the long-term return on investment generally keeps the executives wanting to sustain the “doing business as usual” model. However, the transition to going green should be financially harmless and profit-maximizing for the company.
Could there be a perfect solution with zero up front cost, three year return on investment, and visible reductions in green house gas emissions? Green Analytics, Inc., an energy conservation company, does this everyday, transitioning companies to be environmentally sustainable using energy efficiency solutions that are financed with zero up front cost. This solution reduces energy costs by a minimum of 30 percent resulting in a return on investment in three years or less.
Energy efficiency is often dismissed as a solution that is still adding to the current green house gas emissions and not a viable solution when compared to solar, wind, and other renewable energies. Non-profit organizations — such as the Carbon War Room, and Energy Efficiency Standards, a division of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory that contracts with the U.S. Department of Energy — have illustrated the large reduction potential of energy use (50 percent) in the building sector with energy efficiency measures. When analyzing a company’s energy usage, the majority comes from cooling the building. Brandon Fletcher, CEO and co-founder of Green Analytics, explains, “If you take a data center and you watch it via thermal imaging, you see that there are hot zones going through the ceiling and cold air coming through the floor. Using thermal imaging, you can literally see the money seeping out through the ceiling. Anyone can understand that.” The company corrects this by correcting the airflow patterns with an air circulation system that reduces energy use by 25-50 percent, dependent on the type of facility.
Maximizing Profits
There is a fiscally correct way for everyone to say “yes” to energy efficiency. Currently, the marketing philosophy of green is that you are a “bad person” for not going green, or not caring about the environment. Green Analytics is dedicated to providing technologies that are “better, faster, cheaper” not only “greener.”
One company, RDS Manufacturing (Broken Arrow, OK), recently took the leap of faith with Green Analytics’ solution to achieving energy efficiency. The renovation included an energy efficient lighting system as well as Green Analytics’ signature Air Movers — a fan ventilation system that works alongside the current HVAC system — to reduce energy costs. RDS Manufacturing is saving 38 percent of energy costs on lighting, and the entire renovation project will be paid back in just over two years.
Who Reaps the Benefits?
In the green industry, there is an imbalance between who sees the benefits with the majority leaning towards the environment and little towards the company. With other renewable energy resources, specifically wind and solar, the environment sees the impact first long before the company sees any return on investment. Green Analytics believes that there should be an equal balance between the two. As energy efficiency is reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and green house gases immediately with the reduction in energy usage, the company is experiencing immediate savings and a short return on investment (two to three years).
According the United States Environmental Protection Agency, 39 percent of total U.S. CO2 emissions are from residential and commercial buildings. Green Analytics knows how to reduce energy usage by 30 percent. Fletcher states, “Our solution saves 11.7 percent of all U.S. CO2 emissions, which would bring us in compliance with the Kyoto Protocol.”
Green Analytics’ mission is to create a sustainable environment for all and save companies money at the present time. It is committed to making 2015 the peak global carbon dioxide emission year, where the developed world’s emissions reduction is less than the growth of emissions in the developing world. With the low risk, short return on investment, and numerous benefits, there is no reason not to “Go Green” and seriously consider energy efficiency and Green Analytics, Inc. as a manner to reducing emissions and combating climate change.