Resolve to go green this year

Not every company can top Forbes magazine’s Most Sustainable Companies list, but we can all resolve to try to do more to protect the environment in 2015.

Sustainability is a guiding principle for Williams Scotsman and for many of our customers. As such, nearly a decade ago we developed the first sustainable modular office—called reMOD—to help companies commit to greener building footprints. Several leading general contractors continue to incorporate the innovative product line into their submissions with the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) to achieve LEED certification, while others simply use the product because they feel it’s the right thing to do for the environment.

We are committed to remaining at the forefront of the latest trends in the overall sustainability category. In fact, our director of energy services, Paul Raiford, is speaking next month at EUEC on the topic. He’ll be speaking with leaders from top renewable energy companies about the importance of working green while generating renewable clean energy. As you might suspect, green initiatives are natural complements for renewable energy projects.

Here are just a few reasons why customers in a variety of industries request the reMOD line. The innovative product offers:
• Lower energy consumption and improved efficiency
• Better indoor air quality
• Increased water conservation and resource re-use
• Improved waste management
• Greater level of sustainable material usage
• LEED credits

It doesn’t take monumental changes to go green in 2015. For example, including automatic hand dryers leads to a 90- to 95-percent cost savings over paper towels. Another easy way to go green is by upgrading to programmable thermostats, which can reduce energy consumption by 25 percent. Small adjustments go a long way with regards to sustainability and cost savings.

Since we are talking about sustainability and the energy sector, I’d be remiss if I didn’t also mention our work on an award-winning permanent modular building project. Williams Scotsman completed four modular buildings along the Ruby Pipeline a few years ago. The project is still looked upon today as an industry model for planning a pipeline in a transparent, environmentally sensitive and culturally conscientious manner. The four modular buildings were awarded LEED Gold Certification from the USGBC, as well as the notable Green Globe designation (two Globes certified), which is a widely recognized assessment and rating tool for environmentally progressive designs. You can read more about the project here.

In closing, it’s important to remember that simple adjustments can go a long, long way toward making a positive contribution to the environment.