The Emery Village BIA is currently taking steps toward improving the environmental profile of our business improvement area. Environmental issues are at the forefront of the public’s consciousness. Environmentally friendly business practices and green initiatives are becoming increasingly important to the business community, consumers, citizens and government institutions alike. In 2009 our members voted to establish a Health, Safety and Environmental Sustainability Committee.
The BIA’s approach to promoting a culture of environmentally conscious businesses is not limited to the confines of a typical project that has start and a finish date. Education and feedback systems have been put in place so that the unique needs of the business community can be met and/or exchanged for new and potentially beneficial information.
HEALTH, SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE (HSES)
The Emery Village BIA (EVBIA) is comprised of a number of industrial pockets that produce a significant amount of waste and emissions and consume large amounts of energy. In an effort to both mitigate the effects of pollutants and promote a proactive culture of corporate responsibility, on October 1, 2009, EVBIA formed an environmental committee.
The Emery Village BIA Health, Safety and Environmental Sustainability Committee (HSES) is dedicated to promoting environmentally sustainable business practices throughout its membership. We recognize that by creating a culture of environmentally conscious businesses, we are also securing the social, and economic viability of the entire community. The mandate of the newly formed committee is to assist our business community in its waste reduction, recycling and energy conservation efforts by sharing knowledge of existing cost-saving initiatives, and government incentive programs and by connecting businesses to resources and to each other in an effort to discover possible by-product exchanges.
SUSTAINABLE BUSINESSES IN EMERY
Congratulations to Emery Village business Jacob and Thompson on their success in saving about 3000 gigajoules (GJ) of energy annually! In 2010, Jacobs & Thompson completed a series of heat reclamation and retrofit projects at its Toronto facility that resulted in annual energy savings of about 3,000 gigajoules(Gj). As an environmentally conscious company, and a responsible corporate citizen, Jacobs & Thompson works hard to be an environmentally sustainable fabrication partner. Their case provides a first-rate and positive example of a successful greening initiative that can inspire other businesses to participate.
“With the cost of energy rising, the best method to reduce costs was to reduce consumption,” states Peter Mauti, Maintenance Manager at Jacobs & Thompson Inc. Jacobs & Thompson, a CIPEC Leader in the Plastics Sector, is a foamconverting facility serving the automotive, appliance, window, door, military, medical and flexographic industries. The 665-square-metre facility in Toronto, Ontario, employs 110 people working 52 weeks a year.
In its quest to reduce energy consumption, the company completed three projects in 2010 that have led to energy savings of about 3000 gigajoules (GJ) annually.
- First, the warm exhaust air from a 50-horsepower compressor was redirected back into the facility by using an in-line fan. This project has reduced the need for space heating, decreasing natural gas use by 426 GJ annually. After accounting for an increase in electricity use of 14 GJ, the $12,700 project has a net simple payback period of just over 2.5 years.
- Next came the replacement of a 10-tonne (t) chiller with a 20-t, three-pump chiller to supply a second laminator to meet the increased production demands. The new chiller removes heat from both laminating process machines and recirculates it into the building more effectively with an inline blower, thereby reducing space heating requirements and saving 1010 GJ of energy annually. Mauti notes that the retrofit has added significantly to the comfort value of the workplace. An incentive from Enbridge Gas reduced the project’s cost.
- The third measure involved insulating a block wall of the facility with Roxul mineral wool with a metalized foil surface, providing an R-8 insulation value. “The plant is much warmer now and retains heat better,” says Mauti.
The facility’s single-pane windows have also been covered with a 10-mil clear polyester film on the inside to reduce heat losses. Applying the film on the inside will allow for a longer film life because it is not exposed to the elements. The wall insulation and window film have resulted in annual energy savings of about 1500 GJ, and the $29,000 investment has a payback period of 1.5 years.
In addition to these projects, Mauti also implemented a lighting retrofit, replacing 336 T-12 and metal halide fixtures in the plant with 229 T-8 fixtures and retrofitting 118 fluorescent fixtures in the office area. This measure reduced the light load by 37 307 watts, equating to an annual energy savings of 230 880 kilowatt hours. “With fewer fixtures, we have significantly increased lighting levels and achieved better colour rendition,” notes Mauti. The $60,000 project received incentives from Natural Resources Canada and Toronto Hydro, for a net simple payback period of about four years.
Looking into the future, Mauti is considering installing air curtains for shipping doors and rooftop solar panels. Jacobs & Thompson is also intent on networking with such organizations as Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, and Partners in Project Green to find ways to reduce and divert waste products from its manufacturing processes. “Partnerships with local and international recyclers are also proving to be a benefit,” says Mauti, noting that in 2010, 25 t of various materials were diverted from landfill to recycling facilities. Jacobs & Thompson’s objective is to reduce waste disposal from its facility by 80 percent by 2014/15. These projects and those already implemented underline the company’s sustainability philosophy. “We want to be leaders in reducing greenhouse gases and our environmental footprint,” concludes Mauti.
Submit Your Sustainable Business Success Story.