“Don’t forget to turn out the lights!” It’s one of those near-universal statements, typically uttered by parents reminding scatterbrained children in an effort to save on the electric bill. It’s a sentiment usually thought of in terms of individual households, but multiplying that same energy-efficient mindset to a massive data center or manufacturing facility can mean serious savings for corporations.

Adopting energy-efficient lighting at its corporate headquarters in Germany is one of many steps Janitza has taken toward its pledge to be carbon neutral by 2030.

“It seems like it was a natural progression to make that pledge within the organization; we were already working toward that internally, and we help our customers work toward that as well,” explained Andrew Ruef, Director of Sales and Marketing for Janitza North America, during a recent JSA Virtual Roundtable. Keep reading for more insights from Andrew about how Janitza is working internally and with clients to reduce carbon footprints.

#1: LED Lighting: When Janitza evaluated our internal operations to see where we could reduce our carbon footprint, LED lighting was one of the areas where efficiencies could be found. It’s a straightforward way for companies to decrease their energy consumption.

#2: 100% Hydroelectric: Of course, our business requires electricity, but Janitza found ways to continue to reduce the carbon footprint of our facilities by seeking renewable power. Janitza worked with its utility provider to fulfill 100% of its electricity needs with hydroelectric power. That move alone offsets quite a bit of Janitza’s carbon footprint.

#3: Rooftop Solar: Further, we installed rooftop solar panels on site, providing up to 126 kilowatt hours of electricity. Janitza has plans to expand our solar capability in the near future, as well. Solar offers an excellent way to reduce carbon usage that’s required in other areas of the business.

#4: Embracing EV: Another piece of Janitza’s carbon reduction strategy includes investing in electric vehicles for our fleet and encouraging employees to buy EVs.

#5: Bicycle Leasing: Additionally, for those who work close enough to the facilities, the company offers a bicycle leasing program. It’s not only a way to cut back on emissions, but also a benefit for employees who prefer that mode of transportation.

Technology for Good
Janitza’s commitment to sustainability and renewable energy usage directly translates to our product line. As utility costs rise and ESG initiatives take hold in this new era of carbon tracking, energy management is more important than ever. Our comprehensive hardware and software solutions allow businesses to not only track energy consumption but also share that data with other applications. Ultimately, what gets measured gets managed, and companies need reliable power monitoring to make real progress toward sustainability goals.

Designing For Sustainability
Of course, these solutions can be applied to existing facilities, but businesses should also take their sustainability goals into account when looking at new construction. When designing new buildings, teams need to consider what data they want to track and how, as well as how they’re going to convert that data into actionable steps. When planning a new site, it’s important to remember that the location will dictate your sustainability tactics.

Focus on Vendors
Increasingly, outside vendors can help in corporate efforts toward energy efficiency, carbon neutrality or even carbon negativity. As more companies make the carbon neutral pledge, more vendors are putting tools into place to aid in those efforts, and you can partner with them to help meet your goals.

Hear Andrew Ruef discuss these topics during the “Achieving Net Zero Carbon Emissions by 2030” roundtable here.