Staples continues to improve energy efficiency by increasing the company’s use of developing renewable energy sources to power operations. Such actions are bound to drastically cut their electricity bill while at the same time reducing their carbon footprint. This is largely due to Staple’s partnership with ENERGY STAR and their energy management program that has been in place since 1999.
The ENERGY STAR program is a joint effort between the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S Department of Energy which is designed to help the corporate world save money whilst also conserving the environment with eco-friendly practices. To date, the international company has over 645 ENERGY STAR certified buildings and has been recognized on several occasions as the ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year, most notably in 2015.
Energy efficiency improvements & cost savings for Staples
Currently, Staples has 34 facilities hosting a total of 37 solar panel arrays installed across America. Their 14.5 MW of solar capacity already installed produced over 14.6 million kWh of clean and green energy during 2014 alone. In total, the forward-thinking iniative has generated over 75 million kWh since the project began.
Staples have even transformed their headquarters’ parking lot by installing a 685 kWh solar system with electric car charging options also available. According to Solar Energy Industry Association’s 2014 ‘Solar Means Business’ Report, the company was ranked among the top 10 companies for solar installation in 2014.
Staples working to further reduce the carbon footprint of their operations
Between 2010 and 2014, Staples managed to reduce their global electricity intensity by 4.4% as a result of their energy efficiency iniative. The company attributed this achievement to their commitment in purchasing renewable power. The global office supplies giant is now looking even further into the future and aiming to reduce the electricity intensity of their global operations by 25% come 2020, with their 2010 consumption as a baseline. Though they admit this will be a challenge, given societal trends towards increased consumption of electrical appliances, Staples continues to stand by their energy efficiency goals.
Photo courtesy of Eric Hauser on Flickr
