Energy Federation Inc. Sustainability Action Plan 2015

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Energy Federation Inc. Sustainability Action Plan 2015 – 2017

Foreword Letter from EFI CEO and President Bradley Steele Energy Federation, Inc (EFI) was founded in 1982 by leaders of half a dozen grassroots nonprofit organizations based in Massachusetts engaged in developing strategies and executing plans and programs to help people pro-actively gain some measure of control over rising energy costs. The focus of our work always has been to give families, individuals and businesses access to the most cost-effective, most environmentally benign energy resource — namely, quality energy saving products and equipment installed and used properly.

Prepared by Cassie Osterhoudt and John Richards Edited by Bradley Steele, Philip Scarbro and John O’Connell Design and Layout by Erin Cowell

I am proud to have been one of those leaders who founded EFI and to have served the company as its President/CEO for over three decades. With the support of a growing, skilled and dedicated staff, a committed volunteer Board of Directors with valuable expertise, and thousands of loyal customers and clients, EFI has achieved great things and become recognized as an industry leader among companies providing energy efficient products and incentive fulfillment services. The statement that EFI is considered an industry leader is remarkable in and of itself because when EFI was founded there was no such thing as an industry selling energy efficient products or services to consumers or businesses. Today there is a vibrant, competitive industry that is continually innovating and challenging itself to develop new solutions to address important, complex problems related to climate change and sustainability.

These complex problems require EFI to not only look outward, but to also look inward, to assess what we as a company are doing to accomplish our mission while minimizing adverse environmental impacts from getting back and forth between home and work, or to and from meetings with clients or industry gatherings, and from performing daily operational tasks to meet business requirements. Employee surveys have shown that most EFI employees believe strongly in the mission of the company and that our mission is a compelling motive for them working at EFI. This Sustainability Action Plan represents a commitment on the part of the Management Team and the Board of Directors of EFI to assess our practices and policies and to evaluate how we can improve them to make what we do, and how we do it, beneficial for addressing problems associated with climate change and environmental and economic sustainability.

Introduction

For the past 33 years EFI has been committed to reducing and limiting societal impacts on the environment. We largely do this by facilitating improved access to, and use of, high quality, low cost energy efficiency products at affordable prices. While our products and services benefit our customers and the environment, we believe we can and should do more. The environmental challenges facing the world today are numerous: climate change, water scarcity, deforestation, loss of biodiversity, ocean acidification and more. The purpose of developing a Sustainability Action Plan (SAP) for EFI is to assess where EFI can improve our ability to address these challenges. Our country’s current energy system is heavily reliant on coal, oil and natural gas with more than 40% of the United States carbon dioxide emissions coming from fossil-fueled power plants. (World Resources Institute) The use of energy efficient products, however, has the ability to lower society’s overall energy demand and significantly reduce dependence on fossil fuels. Increased energy efficiency is a critical means for reducing both energy costs and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and has become a central component of our national energy strategy. It has been coined the “cheapest, cleanest, fastest energy source” by the current White House Administration. (Environmental Defense Fund) In a changing economic climate where the opportunity for a shift to more sustainable energy systems has never been greater, EFI will do more to reduce society’s energy consumption and create a sustainable future for our economy.

Given the history of our organization’s focus on energy conservation and efficiency, this will remain the core focus of our efforts to help the environment and help consumers save money on their energy bills. An area where we are extending our focus is measuring our direct and indirect CO2 emissions, which is the largest greenhouse gas contributor. Not only will we track and strive to reduce the direct CO2 emissions from our facilities, but we will also work to increase the positive contribution our products and services have in reducing CO2 emissions.

The purpose of developing a SAP for EFI is to assess where our company can help address challenges like climate change facing humanity. The execution of this plan will help to ensure that EFI will always be a truly sustainable non-profit company. With EFI’s mission focused on a commitment to energy efficiency and the conservation of natural resources, developing a Sustainability Action Plan to measure and reduce the company’s direct and indirect impacts on the environment is an extension of our mission.

3 Main Areas

While EFI has primarily focused on selling energy efficient products and offering services in the Northeastern and Upper Midwest regions of the United States, by broadening our focus we believe we can have a much greater impact on reducing CO2 emissions. For example, due to a less carbon intensive energy mix in New England compared to other regions of the country, replacing a 60w incandescent lightbulb with a 9.5w Phillips LED will result in a net reduction in CO2 of 0.413 metric tons of CO2 over the lifetime of the bulb. In contrast, making the same switch in North Carolina or South Carolina will result in a reduction of 0.618 metric tons of CO2, in Ohio or Indiana a reduction of 0.86 metric tons of CO2, and in parts of Illinois and Missouri a reduction of 1.043 metric tons of CO2. (The Climate Registry) When we take into account that last year EFI sold millions of LED lightbulbs, the net effect of their installation by our customers and partner organizations, is a significant reduction in CO2 emissions. By understanding issues like these, EFI can better develop and manage programs that have the ability to impact climate change.

Planet

People

Performance

EFI’s SAP and future sustainability reports will be framed to take three main areas into account: Planet, People and Performance. Planet refers to environmental concerns, people refers to societal concerns and performance refers to economic concerns. We view each of these areas as interdependent. The planet provides the natural resources our society needs to survive and our economy needs for goods and services. The people provide the manpower our organizations and business need to succeed, as well as caring for the health of our planet. An economy which performs well keeps people employed, which helps avoid social issues and also allows nonprofits and governments to have greater financial resources to help protect our planet. (Hitchcock and Willard)

lowering CO2 emissions. Our leadership will help to create a healthier and more prosperous world for us, and future generations.

Acknowledgments SAP was prepared for Energy Federation Inc. (EFI) by Cassie Osterhoudt and John Richards during the summer of 2015 in conjunction with the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center Internship Program. Special Thanks to Philip Scarbro, Bradley Steele, other senior management and EFI’s Sustainability Committee (Seanna Greene, Nathan Hogan, Sarah Miganowicz, Tiffany McCann, Shaun O’Connor, Chris Palaima, Jessika Radvon, Samantha Roblee, and Gwen Walsh) for assistance in the creation of Energy Federation Inc.’s Sustainability Action Plan.

Over the past three decades EFI has played a crucial role in moving energy conservation and efficiency from a term used by academics to a widely adopted solution to meeting our country’s energy needs. Looking to the future, EFI will continue to lead the way in energy conservation and efficiency as a means to both save consumers money and reduce societal impact on the environment by

To clarify, this assumption is based on regional energy mixes from the most recent year available (2010) as reported by the EPA. It is our hope that over the coming years other regions of the country will increase their share of renewable energy. As this happens the net CO2 reduction from installing LED lightbulbs will also decrease.

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Table of Contents

BACKGROUND 8 EFI’s Mission 9 Past and Current Practices and Initiatives General Practices and Initiatives Recycling and Waste Management Organizational Guidelines and Policies Establishment of a Sustainability Committee Mission-Related Grants Energy Efficient Products for Low-Income Residents Internal and External Communications

FOSTER SUSTAINABLE BEHAVIOR AT EFI 12 Align EFI’s Mission and Culture

SUMMARY OF ORGANIZATIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS 16 Energy Management

24 Internal and External Communications Promoting Sustainability within EFI Annual Sustainability Report

Energy Usage and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Tracking

Website

Energy Audit

Social Media

Conservation Efforts (Appendix B)

Newsletter and EFI Email Signature

Energy Efficiency Upgrades (Appendix B)

26 Sustainability Committee

Renewable Energy

Committee Organization

Purchase Carbon Offsets (Appendix B)

Committee Initiatives (Appendix D)

19 Business Operations Sustainability Manager (Appendix C) Sustainability Intern Setting Sustainability Goals

Committee Outreach Opportunities (Appendix D)

PERFORMANCE METRICS AND REPORTING 27 Metrics to be captured by EFI (Appendix E)

13 Attract Young Employees

Incorporate Sustainability into Strategic Planning

15 Leadership as the Foundation for Success

Purchasing and Shipping Guidelines and Emissions

28 Process of Capturing Data for Metrics (Appendix F)

Business Travel Emissions

29 Verifying the Accuracy of our Data

Senior Management Leadership Mid-Level Management and Employee Engagement

15 Develop and Strengthen EFI’s Sustainability Committee List of Goals and Guidelines (Appendix A)

Onboarding of New EFI Employees Paper Reduction and Office Supplies Waste Management

29 Annual Sustainability Report Planet People Performance

IMPLEMENTATION TIMELINE 29 Dates for Implementation of Recommendations

REFERENCES 30 References

APPENDICES 35 Appendix A Sustainability Committee: Goals, Guidelines, Subcomm

37 Appendix B Energy Management — Conservation, Energy Efficiency Upgrades, Carbon Offsets Fee Structure

40 Appendix C Sustainability Manager Job Description

41 Appendix D Committee Initiatives, Outreach Opportunities

42 Appendix E Metrics to be captured by EFI

44 Appendix F 7 Greenhouse Gases, CO2 emission factors

Background Past and Current Practices and Initiatives

OUR MISSION Energy Federation, Inc. believes it is essential to encourage people to use our planet’s limited energy and water resources wisely. We assist people in these efforts by offering high quality conservation products and services at affordable prices while communicating practical, objective information. We believe that by following this mission, our work will lead to an improved quality of life and economic condition.

While EFI has not had formal, documented sustainability policies prior to development of this sustainability plan, the organization has worked to develop and internalize a culture which emphasizes sustainability practices and green behavior. Some of the initiatives and practices already adopted are reflected in the examples that follow: Product Selection and Fulfillment EFI is dedicated to distributing energy efficient products at an affordable price. When selecting products EFI works on a case by case basis to evaluate the business practices of the vendor, EFI’s business relationship with the vendor, the product’s energy efficiency specification claims, and the price point. For all lighting and water conservation products purchased, EFI strives to have them be ENERGY STAR® and WaterSense® certified. When shipping products, EFI predominantly uses loose fill peanuts made from biodegradable, water soluble materials, and shipping boxes that include recycled content. When possible, EFI ships orders from the warehouse closest to the customer, reducing the transit distance and, thus, transportation-related emissions. EFI also encourages manufacturers and vendors to supply products in boxes that are either recyclable or made from recycled materials and, in several cases, has successful negotiated to improve the manufacturer’s product packaging.

General Practices and Initiatives

and the Massachusetts offices have had plumbed-in water coolers installed to reduce the use of bottled water.

Project Papyrus Project Papyrus was an initiative launched in 2011 to promote recycling and reuse of copy paper at EFI’s Westborough office. EFI employees made “Eco Pads,” which are small notebooks created by cutting and stapling scrap paper together, and distributed collection trays for scrap paper decorated with the Project Papyrus logo. The trays included signs explaining that only paper with one side blank and no identifying or personal information could be used to make the Eco Pads.

Earth Day EFI has held an annual Earth Day celebration for the past four years. Employees have attended luncheons accompanied with viewing of videos focused on sustainability and climate change and participated in trash clean-ups sponsored by the town of Westborough. Additionally, employees have been given energy efficient lightbulbs for installation in their homes.

Appliances EFI is dedicated to purchasing ENERGY STAR certified equipment for our facilities. All of the refrigerators and dish washers in our facilities are ENERGY STAR certified,

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EFI has donated a total of $394,790 to nonprofits, member organizations, and educational institutions over the past 7 years.

Facility Upgrades EFI has taken several steps to improve the energy efficiency of its facilities. Some of these upgrades include: High efficiency HVAC, lighting and insulation, tankless water heaters, motion sensor lights and bathroom faucets, flushless urinals, and the use of low Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) paints and carpets. Our Westborough offices also benefit from a solar array located on property adjacent to the EFI office space, owned by the facility’s landlord.

Recycling and Waste Management EFI recycles the following items: paper, cardboard, glass, plastic, aluminum, compact fluorescent lamps, batteries, thermostats, thermometers, plastic stretch and shrink film. EFI chooses to use local waste management companies that emphasize sustainability and waste reductions in all of their business practices. At EFI’s Wisconsin Facility we use Van’s Waste, a small, independently owned business for waste and recycling that has since grown to be a 7-acre facility. The service offers a single stream recycling program that works to divert waste from landfills and put recycled materials back into local communities, partnering with local companies to turn non-recyclable paper into fuel pellets, which result in lower emissions than conventional fossil fuels. At EFI’s Massachusetts facilities we use E.L. Harvey & Sons for waste and recycling. E.L. Harvey & Sons “believes in recycling before waste and is determined to divert as much as possible away from landfills and towards waste-to-energy facilities. With these efforts made, less than 1% of all waste brought into

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the E.L. Harvey & Sons, Inc. goes to landfills.” EFI greatly values our relationship with E.L. Harvey and the commitment we share for reducing our impact on the environment.

Establishment of a Sustainability Committee In March 2015 EFI established a Sustainability Committee with the mission of catalyzing sustainability initiatives at EFI by creating a SAP. Now that a SAP has been created, the Committee’s efforts will shift toward strengthening the organization’s focus and commitment to promoting and implementing sustainable practices at EFI.

Community Outreach Each year EFI donates a portion of our organization’s income to support energy efficiency and resource conservation initiatives. EFI has donated a total of $394,790 to member organizations, nonprofits, and educational institutions over the past 7 years, increasing donations from $10,000 in the 2009 fiscal year to approximately $80,000 in 2015. On example is the Center for Ecological Technology’s (CET) Go Green Initiative, to which EFI has contributed $150,000 to-date. The purpose of this program is to educate and engage community members on home energy improvements. CET’s Go Green Initiative has enabled the completion of 793 home energy assessments and the installation of 12,351 CFL lightbulbs, 275 programmable thermostats and 185 low-flow water fixtures. These installations have reduced GHG emissions by 27,086 tons, which equates to taking 5,173 cars off the road for a year (EPA Clean Energy Calculator). CET’s Go Green Initiative also supports the

EcoFellowship program. This program has trained three cohorts of young professionals in energy efficiency science and community outreach skills. EcoFellows alumni have gone on to teach science education, manage outdoor engagement programs and pursue environmental graduate degrees. Other prominent organizations EFI has donated to include: the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point, the Green-STEM Pathways Program at MIT and the National Home Performance Council in Washington D.C.

Energy Efficient Products for Low-Income Residents In line with our mission, EFI has always sought to facilitate opportunities to effectively get our energy efficient products into the hands of low income residents, which can oftentimes be a great challenge. One example of this is from FY 2013–FY 2015, our company advised 10 utilities on how to get energy efficient lightbulbs into the hands of low income customers, resulting in $2.6 million worth of CFLs being delivered to local food banks, from which they were distributed free of charge directly to households utilizing the services of the food bank. In another case, EFI helped facilitate the donation of $150,000 worth of CFLs to Habitat of Humanity at no cost to them. These bulbs were purchased by EFI for use in a program that did not use all of the stock. Due to the rapid advance in lighting technology in recent years the manufacturer did not want the bulbs back, so on behalf of the manufacturer

EFI delivered the excess lamps to Habitat for Humanity, allowing the manufacturer to receive a corporate tax deduction for donating these products. Without EFI’s organizational awareness and initiative, this donation may not have taken place.

Internal and External Communications A page on EFI’s website highlights three areas where our company has pursued environmental sustainability: Packing Materials, Product Packaging and Product Disposal, and EFI publishes a complete list of the organizations that EFI has given grants to over the past 6 years and how much money they have received, with every page on EFI’s website including EFI’s mission statement at the bottom. EFI uses social media in the forms of Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Facebook is used to make company announcements and to repost articles relating to sustainability. Twitter is used to make announcements when the organization attends trade shows and also to post job openings. LinkedIn has been used to post articles about sustainability and EFI’s products. In April of 2015 EFI published its first newsletter for internal distribution. This newsletter is made available to all EFI employees, and distributed monthly. All newsletter editions have had a prominent section devoted to sustainability, increasing employee awareness. This new newsletter provides EFI with a consistent means of communicating sustainability practices throughout the organization.

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Fostering Sustainability at EFI

Align EFI’s Mission and Culture

Attract Young Employees

As an organization EFI believes it is essential to use our planet’s limited energy and water resources wisely and in order to do that, we promote products and services to consumers which help them reduce their energy and water usage. Throughout EFI’s history this has been reflected in the many programs and initiatives undertaken by EFI. In addition, the products and services we provide to our customers have an enormously positive impact on the environment and society by reducing energy and water consumption, which in turn can help to reduce associated atmospheric GHG emissions.

Only by staying focused on our mission in our day to day business operations will we remain authentic as an organization. Being authentic and maintaining a culture aligned with EFI’s mission is also essential for attracting young employees who will be the future of the company. Many recent graduates entering the workforce today are looking for jobs and careers with deeper meaning and value. By strengthening our commitment to sustainability and better communicating our practices and initiatives to people inside and outside of our organization, EFI will be able to attract and retain the best talent entering the workforce today.

While the products and services EFI sells are focused on reducing energy and water consumption, we recognize that more can be done to reduce the organization’s own impact on the environment, and the importance of sustainability must remain in the forefront of people’s minds. For example,

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for many years EFI only purchased paper which had at least a minimum percentage of recycled material in it. A well-intentioned committee looking at ways to reduce costs found another source of non-recycled paper for less money, resulting in a switch to non-recycled paper for a short period of time, not fully understanding EFI’s commitment to sustainability. When this change became apparent EFI quickly reverted back to purchasing paper that is composed of at least 30% recycled material, despite the higher purchase cost. This example highlights that while it is important to reduce costs and maintain growth, EFI must remember that in order to fulfill our mission to our customers and clients, we must also be willing to lead by example in our own office space.

Implementing this SAP will not only reduce EFI’s direct and indirect impacts on the environment, but it will also make EFI a more attractive organization for the next generation of employees. Our commitment to strengthen a culture based on sustainability at EFI is considered an investment in the future of the organization. This investment will deliver strong returns in the both the quality of employees we will attract and retain, as well as position EFI as a leader in sustainability in an industry where our commitment to the environment is held to a high standard.

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Leadership as the Foundation for Success A large part of the success of EFI’s commitment to sustainability depends upon having the backing of our organization’s leaders. The implementation of this plan’s specific recommendations requires engagement and leadership from all levels of EFI’s organization. Senior Management Leadership Leadership from our Sr. Level Management and Board of Directors is critical for ensuring that organizational recommendations will be implemented and a culture which embraces sustainability is strengthened. EFI recognizes that the implementation of sustainability initiatives by mid-level management and employees must be validated and supported by the organization’s senior leadership.

Mid-Level Management and Employee Engagement It is vital to have engaged leaders on sustainability issues at all levels of EFI’s organization. This leadership ensures that sustainability initiatives are successfully implemented and that the daily routines and practices they create become ingrained in EFI’s culture. Additionally, EFI’s employees are in a unique position to identify new sustainability initiatives which can improve efficiencies and office workflow.

Develop and Strengthen EFI’s Sustainability Committee An essential part of implementing sustainability within EFI is the sustainability committee. This committee has recently been formalized and has adopted goals and guidelines. The committee is EFI’s primary channel through which sustainability opportunities and initiatives at EFI will be identified. Goals and Guidelines The goal of EFI’s sustainability committee will be to “Ensure that the spirit of EFI’s mission statement is sustained in EFI’s daily business operations and among its employees.” One of the primary focuses of the committee is to undertake initiatives which educate EFI employees about

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sustainable practices and ensure that our organization’s culture is aligned with our mission statement. For a complete list of the sustainability committee’s goals and guidelines see Appendix A.

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Halogen A-line

Incandescent A-line

CFL

Recommendation 3:

IV

E

Low Cost/No Cost Measures Energy conservation efforts through behavior change is the least expensive way for EFI to reduce its energy consumption. Encouraging behavioral change through the actions such as keeping office lights off, adjusting the thermostat when employees are out of the office and encouraging employees to carpool are a few recommendations. Outlined in Appendix B is a complete list of the most cost effective means of reducing EFI’s carbon footprint. NS

Energy Usage and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Tracking The first step in managing EFI’s energy usage is the development of a system of tracking our energy consumption through an environmental management system, allowing us to calculate EFI’s annual carbon footprint. EFI is now registered with The Climate Registry, through which EFI’s energy usage data (electricity consumption, natural gas consumption) may be input into the Climate Registry Information System (CRIS). This allows EFI to create a baseline, and track changes in the organization’s energy usage and establish reduction goals for the company. By tracking and benchmarking our GHG emissions EFI will be able to establish reduction goals. Large scale reductions can be achieved through energy conservation efforts, implementation of energy efficient products, using electricity from renewable energy sources, and/or the purchasing of carbon offsets.

footprint. The following graphic summarizes the process we utilized in our Energy Management recommendations focusing on the “low hanging” fruit of conservation efforts, followed by energy efficiency upgrades and finally renewable energy.

PE

Recommendation 1:

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T OS M

Renewables

AS T

EX PE

NS IV

E

Switching to efficient appliances, and industrial equipment, upgrade insulation

LE

Formal Energy Assessments EFI should consider having a formal energy assessment conducted at each of its three facilities. Although some basic recommendations have already been identified, an energy assessment of EFI’s facilities would be more comprehensive in nature and identify additional sources of energy waste. Individuals and groups within EFI’s organization have previously taken steps to install more efficient lighting, high efficiency HVAC and water heaters, but by conducting a coordinated energy audit at each of EFI’s facilities cost effective energy efficiency projects may be prioritized, reducing costs and our carbon

EX

Recommendation 2:

Solar Wind Hydro

Energy Efficiency Upgrades

Changing behavior, turning off lights, better climate control, plugging obvious leaks, energy and money savings with little or no cost

Conservation Efforts

Figure 1 • Pyramid of Energy Management Priorities

INITIAL INVESTMENT

The graph displays the relationship between the initial investment for energy efficiency projects and Net Present Value.

Low

Replace HVAC Fan System Adjust/Tune HVAC Controls Purchase ENERGY STAR Equipment

NPV Fluorescent Lighting Upgrade Install Supplemental Energy Management Software On PC Low

In order to address energy management at EFI, we have evaluated opportunities to reduce EFI’s carbon footprint through energy conservation, energy efficiency upgrades, renewable energy sources and purchasing carbon offsets. The use of energy at EFI’s facilities is important to address, as throughout the United States the building sector accounts for 41% of primary energy consumption, which is greater than both the transportation and industrial sector (EDF, 2013).

LED A-line

High High

Recommendations Energy Management

Analysis

Install Hot Water Tank and Pipe Installation

Recommendation 4: Energy Efficient Upgrade Analysis While a more expensive option than behavioral changes, energy efficiency upgrades provide an opportunity for EFI to both significantly reduce energy consumption and showcase the products sold to our consumers. While some of these may be identified through a formal third-party assessment, EFI has the expertise to determine the cost effectiveness of energy efficiency upgrades such as those provided in Appendix B, and may be able to adopt some of these relatively quickly. Projects that will provide the highest payoff for the lowest investment include: adjustments to HVAC controls to regulate temperature only when the building is occupied and when it is most cost effective, and purchasing ENERGY STAR certified equipment for all office space appliances. While we believe that the recommendations listed above are practical and make economic sense, we also recognize that EFI’s facilities are leased space and there is less incentive to invest in energy efficient projects which have a long payback period. Nevertheless, we believe that EFI can still implement cost effective energy conservation and energy efficiency projects in leased facilities with an ROI equal to, or less than, the length of EFI’s lease in any of our facilities.

Recommendation 5: Encourage Renewable Energy Where possible, EFI should encourage the property owners of our leased offices to research rooftop solar options. For instance, given the photovoltaic market in Massachusetts the landlord of EFI’s Southborough office could lease roof space at 1 Willow Street to

a solar company for $0 and receive a return of $680,000 over 25 years ($27,000/year) after the installation of solar panels. The landlord (SolarFlair) would also receive a 10% discount on the building’s electric utility bill, in addition to the revenue realized from the roof space lease. If this savings were passed on the building’s tenants, including EFI, it would amount to thousands of dollars annually.

Recommendation 6: Purchase Carbon Offsets An alternate approach EFI could take to reduce its carbon footprint would be to purchase carbon offsets. Carbon offsets enable companies to fund projects that reduce global GHG emissions in order to offset their own emissions. A carbon offset project might restore forests, update power plants or increase the energy efficiency of industrial operations. The Climate Action Reserve is the premier carbon offset registry for the North American carbon market. The Reserve issues carbon credit projects, and oversees the verification process to ensure that high-quality offset programs foster quantifiable reductions in GHG pollution. We recommend that EFI purchase carbon offsets from the Climate Action Reserve only after pursuing energy conservation and energy efficiency upgrades. A breakdown of the fee structure for the Climate Action Reserve is available in Appendix B. Both EFI’s internal and external business operations have immense impacts on the company’s carbon footprint. The initiatives below outline steps EFI can consider to both reduce our supply chain impact and improve our internal operations.

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Business Operations

Recommendation 7: Sustainability Manager Sustainability Management is becoming the norm across all institutional areas. Sustainability leaders are found at different levels within organizations. Chief Sustainability Officer, Director of Sustainability, Sustainability Manager and Sustainability Coordinator are titles which reflect the level of importance the organization places on sustainability in the organization. The most essential traits of a qualified Sustainability Manager include: having a strong passion for the environment which is evident in words and actions, strong leadership skills, and the ability to effectively communicate with different departments and levels within an organization. The individual must be dedicated to sustainability and be able to bring together different stakeholders within an organization to coordinate initiatives. EFI should consider incorporating the position of Sustainability Manager into the responsibilities of a full time employee’s position. This position would be dedicated to implementing the recommendations outlined in the SAP. Thus far the sustainability practices and initiatives at EFI have been

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driven by ad hoc efforts from individuals and small groups of employees. However, these individuals do not have the time needed to devote to implementing the recommendations laid out in this plan. We estimate that a 15–20 hour per week position would allow EFI to execute the numerous sustainability initiative opportunities available. In addition, the creation of this position would affirm to EFI employees that the organization is serious about sustainability, the execution of this plan, and fulfilling its mission. Please see Appendix B for a job description.

Recommendation 8: Sustainability Intern EFI should continue the practice of hiring a sustainability intern in the spring or summer to assist EFI’s Sustainability Manager. Hiring an intern is a practical, low cost way of making progress on EFI’s SAP. During the intern’s time here they could assist the sustainability committee with their initiatives, gather, input and analyze metrics data (specifically GHG data), and also update EFI’s SAP and make needed adjustments to recommendations, the timeline and reduction goals.

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Reduction Goals

10% 10% 25% Reduction of EFI Facility CO2 Emissions based on a /sqft basis.

Reduction of EFI Employee Commuting CO2 Emissions based on a /full time employee basis

Reduction of EFI copy and print paper usage based on a /full time employee basis

Reduction Goals will be set as follows. EFI commits to making the following reductions based on 2015 baseline numbers by 2020. 1. EFI Facility CO2 Emissions will be reduced on a /sqft basis by 10%. 2. EFI Employee Commuting CO2 Emissions will be reduced on a /full time employee basis by 10%. 3. EFI copy and print paper usage will be reduced on a /full time employee basis by 25%.

Recommendation 9: Setting Sustainability Goals Moving forward one of the most important steps EFI needs to take is to set sustainability goals for reducing our negative impacts on the environment and increasing our positive impacts on the environment and society. The creation of goals should meet the follow 3 criteria: 1. Be measurable and based on a metric so that we can know when our goal has been achieved. 2. A champion for delivering on the goal should be selected and be kept accountable. 3. A timeline with benchmarks should be created to track progress on meeting the goal. EFI has identified 3 key metrics which are important to both our internal and external stakeholders. First, is the CO2 emissions from all of our facilities. Second, is the CO2 emissions from EFI employees commuting to and from work. Third, is the copy and print paper used in EFI’s day to day business operations. We believe these 3 metrics represent areas where EFI can focus our efforts in the near term to become more sustainable as an organization. EFI must also ensure that these metrics have solid baseline data on which they can be benchmarked and then used to create targets which are ambitious but feasible. When setting goals for the 3 key metrics established, EFI must take into account the growth of our organization. Over the past 4 years EFI’s sales have grown by 134%. Because of this EFI has seen absolute increases in each of these 3 metrics. If EFI continues to see such a strong growth in the expansion of our business then it will be challenging to reduce or even limit the growth in these metrics. With that in mind EFI needs to normalize each of these metrics so that we can better take our company’s growth into account. In the case of CO2 emissions from EFI’s facilities our organization can report absolute emissions and also normalize in 3 key areas: /full time employee, /sqft, and /$1,000 of revenue. For the metric for CO2 emissions from employee commuting EFI can also report absolute emissions and normalize by /employee. For copy and print paper usage EFI can report absolute usage and normalize by /employee, /incentive processed, and /$1,000 of revenue.

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Achieving these reductions would have the following impacts: 1. A reduction of 2.72 metric tons of CO2/1,000 sqft. Based on 2014 numbers (approximately 108,400 sqft) this is equal to taking 6 passenger vehicles off the road. (EPA) 2. A reduction of 3.47 metric tons of CO2/full time EFI employee. Based on 2014 numbers (116 full time employees) this is equal to taking 9 passenger vehicles off the road. (EPA) 3. A reduction of 3,418 sheets of copy and print paper/full time employee. Based on 2014 numbers (1,586,000 sheets purchased and 116 full time employees) this would annually save approximately 37 trees, 42,497 gallons of water and 10,861 pounds of CO2. (Environmental Paper Network) While these reduction targets are essential for reducing our organization’s impacts on the environment, we also recognize that EFI can have far greater positive impacts on the environment in other areas including: managing the shipping of products to and from our facilities to take into account CO2 emissions, reducing our CO2 emissions from business related travel, and the indirect savings in dollars and CO2 emissions reductions from the purchase and installation of our products. The challenge with these metrics is that while we know our net impacts are far greater, it is extremely challenging to accurately measure their effect. So while EFI is now committing to the reduction goals listed above, we also to committing to putting processes in place to capture these additional essential metrics.

Based on this, we have created the following goals: 1. Measuring the impact of the dollar savings and CO2 emissions reductions from the implementation of our products and services by 2016. 2. Measuring the impact of our CO2 emissions from our business travel by 2017. 3. Measuring the impact of our CO2 emissions from purchasing and shipping by 2018.

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Recommendation 10: Incorporate Sustainability into Strategic Planning For future strategic planning EFI should consider taking environmental and societal impacts into account in addition to financial impacts. For example, when considering where to expand EFI’s businesses EFI could consider targeting regions of the country where utilities have fossil fuel heavy energy mixes. Installing the same LED bulb in states where most electricity comes from coal (Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia etc…) as opposed to states which already have a greater share of non-fossil fuel generated electricity (many New England states) will result in a greater reduction of carbon emissions.

Recommendation 11: Purchasing and Shipping Guidelines and Emissions EFI should develop purchasing standards for our products. The establishment of these purchasing standards should align company practices with EFI’s original mission. EFI could investigate requirements for vendor product quality control measures, employee working conditions, and environmental impacts. Purchasing and shipping our products also represents a huge indirect impact of EFI’s business operations. The emissions from transporting our products to and from our warehouses far outnumbers the emissions produced directly by EFI at our facilities. EFI should consider tracking these emissions and also examining what opportunities we have to reduce these emissions by utilizing lower carbon transportation methods, and also choosing vendors which produce less CO2 in their production process and who are located closer to EFI facilities. Looking forward if EFI wants to have the greatest impact in reducing CO2 emissions it may make more sense to focus our efforts on reducing CO2 emissions from purchasing and shipping instead of direct emissions from our facilities. One immediate step we can take is to start recording the weight of all of our incoming shipments.

22

Recommendation 14:

Finally, EFI should take steps to more closely examine the packaging of the products we ship and try to use the least amount of packing material, with the greatest amount of recycled content possible. For example in 2014 EFI used enough water soluble and biodegradable packaging peanuts to fill 2 ¼ Olympic sized swimming pools. Although we previously took the positive step several years ago of switching from Styrofoam to water soluble, biodegradable packaging peanuts, we want to use the least amount of material possible and ultimately eliminate the need for these peanuts. Our packaging materials need to be examined more closely to have the lowest environmental impact possible.

Paper Reduction and Office Supplies In addition to stringent energy efficiency product standards, we also recommend that EFI create standards and policy for paper usage and office supplies. Paper usage is an area where EFI’s employees are keenly aware of their negative environmental impacts and have a strong desire to improve their practices for the good of the environment. EFI can attempt to identify processes within all departments where paper is used unnecessarily and also update operating procedures accordingly. For example, program managers can contact all clients that receive hard copies of invoices to see if this is necessary, or if sending invoices electronically will suffice. Clients which are known to need hard copies can be exempt from this policy.

Recommendation 12: Business Travel Emissions Because of the processes EFI currently has for documenting and reporting business travel expenses, there is no way to realistically calculate emissions from business travel. Moving forward EFI should consider changing business travel reports to include two key metrics: miles traveled and the mode(s) of transportation used. EFI should establish an electronic filing system for its business travel expense forms so emissions related data can easily be retrieved.

Recommendation 13: Onboarding of new EFI Employees EFI should reinforce the organization’s mission and commitment to sustainability during the onboarding process of new employees. Currently there is no portion of the onboarding process of which highlight EFI’s green practices. As the initiatives laid out in this plan start to take effect they should be emphasized and reinforced to new EFI hires on their very first day in the office.

A standard which can be considered is to use at least 30% recycled paper for all copy and print paper purchased by EFI.

Other standards and policies which can be considered include: use at least 30% recycled paper for all copy and print paper purchased by EFI, set preferences to automatic double sided printing on printers which have that capability and set Microsoft Word and Adobe preferences to double sided printing on all computers. Also, all new printers purchased by EFI should be able to print double sided and all new appliances should be ENERGY STAR or WaterSense certified. While all of these efforts to reduce paper are essential we also want to acknowledge and emphasize the importance of two major projects currently underway that will greatly reduce paper usage. First, in fall 2015 the implementation of the Warehouse Management System in the Southborough warehouse will immensely reduce the

amount of paper used in the shipping and tracking of packages. Second, in the second half of 2016 the implementation of an online rebate processing software at the Westborough facility will eliminate the need to print and store numerous rebates and will greatly reduce the usage of paper at our Westborough facility. These two projects combined will likely do more to eliminate paper usage at EFI than any other initiatives we can recommend. Therefore, the successful execution of these projects is essential to reducing EFI’s paper usage.

Recommendation 15: Waste Management We recommend increasing the signage by waste and recycling bins to increase awareness of what items are placed in the different containers. EFI should also consider implementing a composting option to eliminate food waste. Currently, EFI disposes of waste through E.L. Harvey & Sons. Within their recycling program they offer a composting option which we could adopt at EFI. Implementing a composting option either through E.L. Harvey & Sons, or informally amongst employees, would require that EFI educate both employees through appropriate signage and the cleaning staff through clarification on where to put composted material for disposal. Additionally, EFI does not have uniform recycling practices at our Westborough and Southborough facilities, despite both being serviced by E.L. Harvey. EFI should examine our recycling practices at both facilities to ensure consistency.

23

Internal and External Communications

A key part of our sustainability plan is communicating EFI’s sustainability practices and initiatives to both internal and external stakeholders. By acknowledging and sharing the work EFI has done to make our organization more sustainable, we can enhance EFI’s brand image among both our customers and employees. In addition, publishing our sustainability work will help us to hold ourselves accountable and inspire employees to become more sustainable in their day to day work at EFI and outside of the office in their homes and communities.

24

Recommendation 16:

Recommendation 17:

Promoting Sustainability within EFI When implementing change within any organization one of the key challenges is communication. Oftentimes senior management or the board of directors write a report and send out an email when they want to create change within an organization. With a topic as critical as sustainability, however, this effort needs to be continually promoted and communicated to EFI’s employees for a sustained period of time. Many times it can take months or years before a change in culture and mindset takes place within an organization, so EFI’s focus on sustainability needs to be regularly emphasized to EFI employees through all communication mediums. This includes highlighting our sustainability efforts in emails, newsletters and other electronic forms of communication. More importantly though, this message needs to be frequently reinforced through person to person interactions. Sustainability initiatives and projects should often be referred to in senior and mid-level management meetings. Signage about EFI’s sustainability efforts should be posted around EFI facilities to reinforce that this a priority for the entire organization.

Annual Sustainability Report One of the most essential ways we can communicate EFI’s sustainability initiatives to our internal and external stakeholders is to produce an annual sustainability report. The vast majority of fortune 500 companies now produce some kind of annual report on either Sustainability, Corporate Social Responsibility or Environmental Impacts. Publishing an annual sustainability report will allow EFI to show in tangible, measurable ways how we are practicing sustainability and reducing our direct and indirect environmental impacts. This report will also allow EFI to benchmark ourselves against competitors and demonstrate how we can improve in key metric categories. EFI may also want to consider creating quarterly sustainability reports to accompany quarterly financial reports.

Recommendation 18: Annual Employee Survey One way to track the progress being made in strengthening EFI’s commitment to sustainability is to conduct an annual employee survey. This survey can ask employees important questions like: do they think EFI is improving its sustainability practices, what do they think we can do

better, and do they feel a connection to EFI’s mission in the work they do here. Asking questions like these on an annual basis can create a baseline and measure our progress.

Recommendation 19: Website A website is often the first impression external stakeholders have of an organization. It is critical that EFI utilize this platform to effectively communicate our company’s sustainability practices to relevant stakeholders. Sustainability should play a prominent role on our website with a link to our sustainability web page directly on our homepage. We should incorporate a summary of our sustainability practices on our website in the format of Planet, People and Performance.

Recommendation 20: Social Media Social Media is a medium of communication which has grown quickly over the past decade. Today, Facebook is the most visited site in the world with approximately 1.44 billion active users as of March 2015. (Facebook) One of the best ways to enhance EFI’s brand image is to utilize platforms like Facebook, Twitter and other social media to

communicate with our stakeholders and potential customers. EFI’s sustainability practices and company mission can play a key role in helping to develop our brand image for our stakeholders. EFI should consider developing a marketing strategy for social media which emphasizes both our mission and sustainability practices, and our products and services. This could include posting photos of Sustainability Committee education events or initiatives with a brief narrative on social media platforms.

Recommendation 21: Newsletter and Email Signature EFI’s monthly newsletter is a great way to communicate our sustainability initiatives to employees. EFI should continue to devote a section within every newsletter to sustainability with the purpose of educating our employees and promoting a culture of sustainability within EFI. Additionally, all EFI email signatures should be required to include the phrase: Please consider your environmental responsibility before printing this email and any documents.

25

Performance Metrics and Reporting

Sustainability Committee

Recommendation 22:

Recommendation 23:

Committee Organization The sustainability committee will focus primarily on carrying out initiatives which align with EFI’s mission and create a culture of sustainability among EFI’s employees. In order to have legitimacy and the necessary support to carry out initiatives, the committee must have a member from sr. management on the committee at all times. Also, if financially feasible, the committee should have a dedicated annual budget to help fund its initiatives, education and outreach efforts.

Committee Initiatives We recommend that the committee prioritize and implement initiatives that strengthen EFI’s culture of sustainability in the coming months and years. Please see Appendix D for a comprehensive list of initiatives developed by the committee, and the Implementation Timeline for a time frame to develop each initiative.

The committee shall strive to always include a member from every department and will meet at least once a month to coordinate and implement various initiatives. The committee will also conduct a bi-annual progress evaluation of its initiatives every July and January.

26

Recommendation 24: Committee Outreach Opportunities In addition to the committee initiatives, we recommend that EFI’s sustainability committee work to foster relationships between EFI and local organizations. This can be done both through EFI organized volunteer events and educational events. Appendix D provides a list of community outreach opportunities current committee members have developed to connect EFI employees with the products they sell.

Metrics to be captured by EFI EFI sees the accuracy of the data collected for our sustainability report as a pivotal part in determining how we can reduce our current energy consumption and GHG emissions. In an effort to accurately capture EFI’s energy usage and GHG emissions from direct and indirect operations, we have identified key metrics to be captured. We recommend that EFI capture direct metrics including: electricity and natural gas consumption, paper use, packaging use, business travel emissions, waste and recycling. We recommend that EFI capture indirect metrics including: energy savings on the products we sell (kWh, therms and gallons of water saved) and employee commute emissions. In order to create meaning for these metrics, we recommend that EFI normalize the data collected relative

to the number of employees at EFI, annual revenue and number of incentive claims processed. More information on the metrics we recommend EFI capture and how they will be normalized is available in Appendix B. Aside from metrics concerning GHG emissions from our business operations, we recommend that EFI strive to capture data from our philanthropic work and company finances. Each year EFI donates a percentage of our net income to support energy efficiency projects from member organizations or smaller non-profits. Although these metrics do not directly relate to EFI’s impact on the environment, they contribute to our success by increasing the awareness and availability of energy efficient products in the market.

Process of capturing data for metrics In order to accurately develop metrics for EFI’s carbon footprint, a concise and reproducible method of collecting and recording data for annual sustainability reporting needs to be implemented at EFI. In order to capture the data cited above we recommend that EFI create a detailed electronic method of recording energy usage for the three facilities. Data that should be recorded includes the data to be collected (i.e. electric bill), units of data to be collected

(i.e. total kWh, monthly kWh) contact email and phone number (i.e. EFI employee or vendor who collects the information), method of collection (i.e. bills or electronic), and data units needed (i.e. normalized units or units needed for Climate Registry System). Additionally, the electronic location for storing the data collected and instructions for inputting the data into the CRIS to calculate EFI’s GHG emissions should be included.

27

Implementation Timeline Energy Management EFI Sustainability Plan 2015 – 2017

Adjust HVAC for building occupancy

Facilities

Advocate solar to Southborough Landlord

Sr. Management

People The people section of EFI’s annual sustainability report will include updates on EFI’s Grant Program, EFI’s Sustainability Committee, and EFI organized volunteer events. Specifically, the report will include: the specific programs we donated to, the total amount donated for the calendar year, sustainability committee achievements and goals, and specific EFI employee events for the calendar year.

Performance

Conduct Energy Audit at EFI’s 3 Facilities

Facilities

Install LED task lighting at EFI desk space

Sus. Committee

Fit all offices with smart strips

Sus. Committee

Install Occupancy Sensors

Facilities

Install Dyson Hand Dryers

Facilities

Replace Exterior Lighting

Facilities

The performance section of EFI’s annual Sustainability Report will include figures on the financial growth of EFI and the programs we run. Specifically, we will include growth in product sales, and net income between fiscal years, as well as growth in the number of incentive programs managed by EFI. For the years of 2013 and 2014 EFI experienced a 29.58% increase in product sales.

28

PRIORITY

DIFFICULTY

•

Very Difficult

CHAMPION

Difficult

PROJECT

LONG TERM

• •

6 –12 Months • January 2016 – June 2016

Planet The planet portion of EFI’s annual sustainability report will include the environmental impact of EFI’s business operations. Direct metrics such as: electricity consumption, natural gas consumption, business and inter-office travel, paper use, packaging use, and total waste and recycling will be included in this section. This section will also include indirect metrics from EFI’s business operations such as: kWh, therms and gallons of water saved from the energy efficient products we sell, and employee commute emissions. Additionally, suggested reduction goals for EFI energy consumption converted into tons of CO2 will be included in this section.

•

Moderate

We recommend summarizing these metrics and their relevance in an annual sustainability report which be divided into three sections: Planet, People and Performance.

MEDIUM TERM

• • •

Not Difficult

Annual Sustainability Report

Very Difficult

Facilities

Difficult

Unscrew center lighting in Southborough

• •

Moderate

Sus. Committee

Critical

Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions data to quantify the carbon footprint of their organization. CRIS works through a built in calculator that converts energy usage units into emissions of the seven greenhouse gases recognized by the Kyoto Protocol. Details on the seven greenhouse gases are available in Appendix D. EFI plans to report our emissions and can investigate having them verified by a third party. This is the most stringent form of reporting offered. The annual deadline to submit data is June 30th, and the annual deadline to verify data is December 15th.

High

In order to accurately verify the data collected on EFI’s energy consumption, EFI plans to utilize The Climate Registry. The Climate Registry is a nonprofit collaboration organization between North American states, provinces and territories. Currently 31 states and all of Canada’s provinces and territories are participants in The Climate Registry. This organization provides a reputable online carbon management program, which enables organizations to track and verify GHG emissions data. The CRIS is an online software that enables organizations to input their

DIFFICULTY Not Difficult

Signage for kitchen, hallway, conference room light switches

Verifying the accuracy of our data

PRIORITY

Critical

CHAMPION

High

INITIATIVE

Moderate

1 – 6 Months • July 2015 – December 2015

Moderate

SHORT TERM

•

• •

• • •

• • •

• •

1 – 2 Years

Submit GHG Data to CRIS annually

Sus. Committee

Submit GHG Data for 3rd Party Verification annually

Sus. Committee

EFI utilizes low VOC Paint and Carpet

Sus. Committee

Replace Southborough Warehouse Lighting

Facilities

• • •

• • •

• 29

Business Developement

Internal and External Communications

EFI Sustainability Plan 2015 – 2017

EFI Sustainability Plan 2015 – 2017

SHORT TERM

SHORT TERM

Set all Word and Adobe to auto print DS

IT Department

All new printers have double sided ability

IT Department

Change Business Travel Expense Forms

Finance Dept

Examine more effective packaging

Purchasing

Capture weight of all incoming shipments

Purchasing

• • • •

• • •

•

•

• • •

Very Difficult

Difficult

Moderate

• •

PRIORITY

DIFFICULTY

6 –12 Months • January 2016 – June 2016

PROJECT

CHAMPION

Feature sustainability visibly on website

Marketing Dept

Feature sustainability in every newsletter

Marketing Dept

LONG TERM

• •

•

• •

•

1 – 2 Years

Implement new rebate processing system

IT Department

Publish a sustainability report for 2015

Sus. Committee

•

• •

•

•

1 – 2 Years

Implement new rebate process

30

Sus Committee

•

Very Difficult

IT Department

All EFI Employee email signatures changed to encourage less printing of attachments

•

Difficult

Set all printers to auto print double sided

Marketing Dept

•

Moderate

Purchasing

Use social media to promote sustainability

Very Difficult

Create Product Purchasing Guidelines

• •

Difficult

Sus Committee

• • •

Moderate

Start composting at EFI Facilities

Not Difficult

HR Department

DIFFICULTY

Critical

Advocate for Electronic Pay Stub option

PRIORITY

High

CHAMPION

Sus Committee

MEDIUM TERM

6 –12 Months • January 2016 – June 2016

PROJECT

LONG TERM

•

Moderate

MEDIUM TERM

•

Publish a Sustainability Report for 2014

Not Difficult

HR Department

Middle Man.

• •

Not Difficult

Emphasize sustainability to new hires

• •

Promotion of Sustainability Action Plan

Critical

Sus Committee

•

•

Critical

Identify areas to reduce paper use within departments

•

Senior Man.

DIFFICULTY

High

Sus Committee

•

Promotion of Sustainability Action Plan

PRIORITY

High

PMs contact clients with electronic invoices

• •

CHAMPION

Moderate

Sus Committee

INITIATIVE

Moderate

Post signage for waste and recycling

•

1 – 6 Months • July 2015 – December 2015

Very Difficult

IT Department

Difficult

Create Warehouse Management System

• •

Moderate

Phil Scarbro

DIFFICULTY Not Difficult

Designate a Sustainability Manager

PRIORITY

Critical

CHAMPION

High

INITIATIVE

Moderate

1 – 6 Months • July 2015 – December 2015

IT Department

•

• 31

References

Sustainability Committee EFI Sustainability Plan 2015 – 2017

Place signage for energy, water, paper use

Sus Committee

Organize regular employee hikes to nearby parks

Sus Committee

Have an EFI “Green Employee” each season

Sus Committee

Sustainability facts in newsletter, S Media

Marketing Dept

Receive/Manage funds for an annual budget

Sus Committee

Educate Employees on Recycling

Sus Committee

Set up EFI Carpool

Sus Committee

•

Very Difficult

Difficult

DIFFICULTY Moderate

PRIORITY

Critical

CHAMPION

High

INITIATIVE

Not Difficult

1 – 6 Months • July 2015 – December 2015

Moderate

SHORT TERM

• • •

• • •

Environmental Defense Fund . Environmental Defense Fund Climate Corps Energy Handbook. 2013. 02 07 2015. Environmental Paper Network. Environmental Paper Network Lifecycle Environmental Impact. 2014. 30 07 2015.

• • •

• •

Energy Federation Inc. . Energy Federation Inc. Mission-Related Grants . 06 2015. 01 07 2015. Energy Federation Inc. Energy Federation Inc. . n.d. 01 07 2015.

• •

Center for EcoTechnology. Mission, Goals and Impact . 2014. 01 07 2015.

Environmental Protection Agency. Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator . 09 07 2015. 01 07 2015. EPA. www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/energy-resources/calculator.html. 9 July 2015. 27 July 2015. Facebook. newsroom.fb.com/company-info/. 9 July 2015. Website. 9 July 2015.

Organize educational staff workshops

Sus Committee

Participate in a local 5K to raise money

Sus Committee

Hire sustainability intern for summer 2015

Phil Scarbro

LONG TERM

• •

•

Very Difficult

Difficult

Moderate

DIFFICULTY

Hitchcock, Darcy and Marsha Willard. The Business Guide to Sustainability. New York: Earthscan, 2009. Solarflair . Solar Power Opportunity at EFI. Ashland: Solarflair, 2015. Document. The Climate Registry. The Climate Registry General Reporting Protocol Version 2.0. 03 2013. 08 06 2015. World Resources Institute . Energy — Fueling the growth of clean, affordable power. 2014. 29 07 2015.

• •

•

1 – 2 Years

Update Sustainability Action Plan

32

PRIORITY

Critical

CHAMPION

High

PROJECT

Not Difficult

6 –12 Months • January 2016 – June 2016

Moderate

MEDIUM TERM

Phil Scarbro

•

•

33

Appendices

Appendix A Sustainability Committee’s Goals and Guidelines

Sustainability Committee Goals and Guidelines Our Goal

Ensure that the spirit of EFI’s Mission Statement is sustained in EFI’s daily business operations and among its employees. The Sustainability Committee shall... • Always have a leader who chairs meetings and sets the agenda.

34

“Never doubt that a small group of



• Select a volunteer to be the committee’s leader for 6 months in January and July.



• Meet at least once a month.

thoughtful, committed citizens can



• Evaluate progress of the committee’s initiatives every January and July.



• Strive to include members from every department within EFI.

change the world; indeed, it’s the only



• Always have a senior leadership member on the committee.



• Select members who are committed to fulfilling EFI’s mission statement.

thing that ever has.” - Margaret Mead



• Always have sustainability initiatives being promoted in the office space.



• Welcome ideas from all team members and EFI stakeholders.



• Be focused on completing green projects first and on administrative concerns related to the committee second.



• Celebrate the success of projects.



• Be leaders and pioneers on sustainability initiatives and walk the walk.



• Be creative and make sustainability initiatives and activities fun!



• Carry out projects and initiatives which align with EFI’s mission statement.



• Remain positive and not be deterred by opposition to progress and change.



• Regularly update the initiatives the committee is working on.



• Be transparent in our activities and meetings with other EFI employees.



• Meet with senior level management on a regular basis to report on progress.



• Manage the EFI sustainability email account.



• Ensure that subcommittees meet as needed.

35

Appendix B Energy Management Recommendations

Conservation and Energy Efficiency upgrade recommendations and cost analysis are listed in this appendix.

Goals of the Subcommittees Education and Outreach



1. Undertake initiatives which will promote and advance a culture of sustainability among EFI’s employees and align with EFI’s mission statement. 2. Be creative in the initiatives we undertake with a focus on making sustainability fun and engaging.

Metrics

1. Maintain EFI’s metrics list and metrics database.

Policy

36

1. Work to formalize initiatives implemented by the education and outreach subcommittee through creating company guidelines around sustainability.

Energy Efficiency Upgrades

Conservation Efforts



1. Install occupancy sensors in EFI’s kitchens, conference rooms, bathrooms and stairwells.



1. Keep hallways, kitchens, bathrooms and stairwell lights off during the day unless in use.



2. Replace the overhead fluorescent lighting in EFI’s offices with lower wattage LED linear lamps.



2. Reduce the amount of office lighting by de-lamping 1 tube from the 3 tube overhead lighting fixtures.



3. Install high efficiency hand drying units in Southborough bathrooms to eliminate the use of paper towels.





4. Replace the high pressure sodium exterior lighting at EFI’s facilities with LED lighting.

3. Adjust thermostat to increase to 85° after business hours in the summer, and decrease to 65° after business hours in the winter.



5. Install LED task lighting at all desk space in conjunction with a reduction in the amount of overhead lighting.

4. Encourage carpooling when commuting to work and during interoffice travel.



5. Educate all employees on EFI recycling practices.

Leader Responsibilities

1. Organize and lead meetings at least once a month



2. Encourage committee members to actively participate in meetings



3. Take notes at every meeting to be posted in Dropbox.



4. Send out a follow up email after meetings to members with meeting notes, action items, and deadlines

Selecting New Group Members

1. Interested EFI employees can email [email protected] to join the committee. Due to the time commitment, interested employees need to check with their supervisor to determine if the committee is suitable to their work responsibilities





6. Use advanced power strips to insure employees’ desktop devices are off after hours.



7. Continued to only use low VOC paint and carpet for all building renovations.



8. Examine ways to weatherize the Wisconsin Facility’s to decrease natural gas usage.



9. Replace the overhead fluorescent lighting in EFI’s warehouses with lower wattage LED linear lamps.

37

WESTBOROUGH FACILITY COST

AVG ENERGY SAVINGS (KWH)

Keep kitchen, bathroom, and stairwell lights off during day unless in use

$0.00

578

$43.37

$216.86

0

Set thermostats back 10–15° for 8 hours at night when employees are not in the office

$0.00

2685

$155.00

$1,036.13

0

Turn off all EFI computers

$0.00

4200

$60.00

$1,638.00

0

Conservation Savings Totals

$0.00

7,463.30

$258.37

$2,890.99

$121.00

2024

$260.24

$578.30

0.4

$1,942.74

25 N/A

ACTION

MIN $ SAVINGS MAX $ SAVINGS ROI (YEARS)

Energy Conservation

Energy Efficiency Install light sensors in kitchen, bathrooms, back stairwell, conference room Replace old powerstrips with new smartstrips

Unknown

Energy Efficiency Totals

$121.00

2024

$260.24

$3,911.09

$12,106.00

9,487.37

$518.61

$6,802.08

COST

AVG ENERGY SAVINGS (KWH)

Keep kitchen, bathroom, and stairwell lights off during day unless in use

$0.00

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

0

Set thermostat back 10–15° for 8 hours at night when employees are not in the office

$0.00

8761.5

$326.00

$979.00

0

Conservation Savings Totals

$0.00

8761.5

$326.00

$979.00

Unknown

45,900.00

$3,500.00

$3,500.00

45,900.00

$3,500.00

$3,500.00

54,661.50

$3,826.00

$4,479.00

TOTALS Cumulative Totals

WISCONSIN FACILITY ACTION

MIN $ SAVINGS MAX $ SAVINGS ROI (YEARS)

Energy Conservation

SOUTHBOROUGH FACILITY COST

AVG ENERGY SAVINGS (KWH)

Keep kitchen, bathroom, hallway and stairwell lights off during day unless in use

$0.00

963.84

$72.29

$216.86

0

Unscrew 1 tube from all office overhead lighting

$0.00

6908

$1,036.13

$1,036.13

0

Set thermostat back 10–15° for 8 hours at night when employees are not in the office

$0.00

9388

$546.00

$1,638.00

0

Conservation Savings Totals

$0.00

17,259.36

$1,654.42

$2,890.99

ACTION

MIN $ SAVINGS MAX $ SAVINGS ROI (YEARS)

Energy Conservation

3373

$433.73

$578.30

0.272718649

Replace all office overhead lights with Philips LED T8 Instant Fit

$5,693.00

12,951.60

$1,942.74

$1,942.74

2.5

Install 4 Dyson Hand Dryers in bathrooms

$4,400.00

$1,203.00

$1,203.00

3.7

Replace 9 exterior flood lamps above docks

$1,875.00

1247

$187.05

$187.05

11.6

$12,106.00

17,572.01

$3,766.51

$3,911.09

TOTALS Cumulative Totals

38

N/A

TOTALS $138.00

Energy Efficiency Totals

Improve insulation in warehouse to equal the Wisconsin state average for warehouse space of 220 therms/1,000 sf Energy Efficiency Totals

Energy Efficiency Install light sensors in kitchen, bathrooms, back stairwell, conference room

Energy Efficiency

$12,106.00

34,831.37

$5,420.93

$6,802.08

Cumulative Totals

Purchase Carbon Offsets CLIMATE ACTION RESERVE FEE STRUCTURE

COST

Account Setup Fee (Fee charged upon application for new account)

$500

Account Re-activation Fee (Fee charged upon re-activation of a closed account)

$500

Account Maintenance Fee (annual) (Annually recurring fee charged to maintain Account Holder privileges)

$500

Project Submittal Fee (per project) (Fee charged upon submission of a project

$700

Offset Credit Issuance Fee (per offset credit issued) (Fee charged after project has been issued offset credits

$0.22

39

Appendix C Sustainability Manager Job Description

Appendix D Sustainability Committee Initiatives, Outreach Opportunities

Sustainability Manager Job Description

Sustainability Committee Initiatives

Outreach Opportunities

1. Place signage throughout EFI facilities to encourage the conservation of energy, water, paper and other natural resources.

1. Organize a trip to a wind farm and/or solar farm.

Position Overview: The Sustainability Manager is a part time position reporting to EFI’s Vice President of Business Development, Phil Scarbro. This part time position will also be paired with another part time position in (INSERT POSITION HERE…. Program Management, Finance, Accounting, etc…) to create full time employment. The ideal candidate for this position has a background in both business and environmental/sustainability work and has strong passion for sustainability which is evident in their actions and rhetoric.

Responsibilities:









• Engage with EFI’s internal and external stakeholders to understand their priorities for sustainability related practices and initiatives. • Manage EFI’s Sustainability Committee and oversee the creation and implementation of sustainability initiatives at EFI designed to encourage a culture aligned with EFI’s mission and sustainability. • Oversee the creation of an annual Sustainability Report for EFI which measures our direct and indirect impacts on both the environment and society. • Oversee EFI’s metrics database which captures and stores data such as (kWh, therms, waste and recycling, paper usage, packaging materials, etc…) • Encourage EFI staff members to be more sustainable by leading through personal example.

• Capture and Record EFI’s GHG Emissions annually through the Climate Registry and ensure that our emissions are verified by a 3rd party to ensure transparency and accuracy. • Identify, encourage and grow the leadership skills of EFI employees who have ideas to make EFI a greener workplace. • Be spokesperson for EFI’s sustainability efforts by occasionally attending trade shows and using social media to share the work EFI does to become more sustainable. • Stay current on trends in sustainability and the energy-efficiency fields and related advances in technologies.



• Completion of a bachelor’s degree program in sustainability, environmental science, and business management, or comparable degree etc., Master’s degree is preferred. • Exhibited work experience in project or program management. Demonstrated experience planning, coordinating, and implementing program activities and events across organizations and departments.

3. Order EFI branded, reusable metal water bottles for our employees to encourage them not to use disposable plastic cups or bottles. 4. Organize outdoor hikes to nearby parks to help employees connect with EFI’s mission. 5. Organize an informal carpool for EFI employees and measure associated fuel and emissions savings.

• Demonstrated analytical, communications, and organizational skills



• An ability to self-motivate, multi-task, work in a fast-paced environment, meet deadlines, work closely employees across all departments and deliver results.



• Demonstrated ability to take initiative and maintain momentum on key projects.

4. Organize an E.L. Harvey waste and recycling educational event. 5. Partner with local environmental organization for EFI volunteer events. 6. Participate in a local 5K event to raise money for a designated cause or organization. 7. Volunteer at local community gardens.

7. Promote sustainable behavior through “Sustainability Facts” featured in each newsletter and through EFI social media sites. 8. Organize educational staff workshops that focus on the following areas:



3. Organize a trip to a composting facility.

6. Have an EFI “Green Employee” of the month or season to promote sustainable habits outside of the office.



Desired Qualifications:

2. Purchase glasses for the Westborough and Southborough cafeterias to replace the disposable plastic cups and bottles.

2. Organize a trip to a Wastewater Treatment Plant.



a. Highlight the latest energy efficient products through internal communications. b. Invite business partners/vendors to conduct short luncheon-type seminars. c. Show documentaries or shorts pertaining to relevant environmental issues.



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Appendix E List of Metrics and Data to be captured and recorded

Metrics

People

Performance

Planet



• Total $ Amount donated in EFI’s History



• Year over Year Growth in Revenue

Electricity Consumption

Paper



• Total $ Amount donated year by year



• Number of Products offered





• Total Pounds/ Total Sheets







• Normalized — Total Sheets/sqft, Total Sheets/Dollar of Revenue, Total Sheets/ employee

• Total $ Amount donated year by year as a percentage of retained revenue or “profit”

• Number of Programs, Number of states programs are in



• Volunteer Hours



• Customer base of utilities served

• Total kWh + Normalized — kWh/sqft, kWh/dollar of revenue, kWh/employee

Natural Gas Consumption

• therms/BTUs + Normalized — therms/sqft, therms/dollar of revenue, therms/employee

Transportation

• Intra office travel — Total Miles Traveled + Normalized — total miles traveled/ employee • Business Travel — Total Miles Traveled + Normalized — Miles Traveled/ employee (including mode of transportation)

+ Normalized — Equivalent Number of vehicles removed from the road, trees saved, etc…



• Portion of EFI’s paper as Virgin Paper, 30% Recycled, 50% Recycled, 100% Recycled

Packaging

People • Employee Information + Total number of employees (full/part time/temp)

• Total Pounds of Packaging



• Heating Bill for all locations



• Total Pounds of Cornstarch Peanuts



• Water use for all locations



• Total Pounds of recycled boxes with PCW



• Recycling Metrics



• Total Pounds of Bubble Wrap + Normalize — Pounds/ Dollars of Revenue



• Waste Metrics

+ Commute distance traveled



• Total square footage of office and warehouse space





• Total number of rebates + f or each product sold

Waste/Recycling

• Total pounds of waste + Total pounds of waste which reach the landfill (Highlight E.L. Harvey)

GHG/CO2 emission

+ Normalized — Pounds of waste/employee, Pounds of waste/ dollar of revenue





• Total pounds of recycling +N  ormalized — Pounds of recycling/employee, Pounds of recycling/ dollar of revenue



• GHG Emissions from Scope 2 (Indirect Impact)



• GHG Emissions from Scope 3 (Indirect Impact — selected)

Planet



• Scope 1 — 3 GHG/CO2 Emissions/ employee





• Scope 1 — 3 GHG/CO2 Emissions/ Dollar of Revenue + Offsets purchased — Scope 1, Scope 2, possibly Scope 3

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Planet • Electricity Bill for all locations



• Commuting to work — + Miles traveled to work per employee

• GHG Emissions from Scope 1 (Direct Impact)

Data Needed for Metrics (for 2013 and 2014 ideally)

+ total financial savings from rebates + product details (to calculate energy savings per product sold)

• Products shipped annually +T  ype of product shipped

+W  eight and cost of each product sold



• Employee Transportation Information + Method of transportation • Grant Program + Information on program, what grants are offered and where

Performance • Financial Information + Sales growth, number of programs + Annual Financial Report, 2012– 2013, 2013–2014, 2014– 2015 (when available) + Information on new programs that are worth marketing

+ Distance traveled

• Total amount of paper purchased

• kWh hours saved + Equivalent GHG reductions, cars taken off the road



• Total amount of packaging supplies purchased (boxes, tape, peanuts)



• kw demand reduction — (utilities value this)



• Total Miles Traveled for Intra Office Travel and EFI Business Travel



• therms saved + Equivalent GHG reductions, cars taken off the road



• gallons of water saved

Products we sell

+ Employee Benefit Details

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Appendix F 7 GHG to be reported on through the Climate Registry

The Climate Registry requires that companies report their emissions for all seven greenhouse gases recognized by the Kyoto Protocol. The seven greenhouse gases, their chemical formulas and main anthropogenic sources are as follows:

GREENHOUSE GAS

CHEMICAL FORMULA

MAIN ANTHROPOGENIC SOURCES

Carbon Dioxide

(CO2)

Fossil-fuel combustion, land-use conversion, cement production

Methane

(CH4)

Fossil fuels, livestock, waste dumps

Nitrous Oxide

(N2O)

Agriculture, fertilizer, industrial processes, fossil fuel combustion

Hydrofluorocarbons

(HFCs)

Manufacture of, and leakage from refrigerants and air conditioning equipment

EMISSION COEFFICIENTS GREENHOUSE GAS

Carbon Dioxide

Methane

Nitrous Oxide

Hydrofluorocarbons

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CHEMICAL FORMULA

(CO2)

(CH4)

(N2O)

(HFCs)

FUEL TYPE / REFRIGERANT USED

EMISSION FACTOR

Natural Gas

53.06 kg CO2/MMBtu

NPCC New England

722.07 lb/MWh

MRO WEST

1,536.36 lb/MWh

Natural Gas

5 g CO2/MMBtu

NPCC New England

71.76 lb/GWh

MRO West

28.53 lb/GWh

Natural Gas

0.1 g CO2/MMBtu

NPCC New England

12.98 lb/GWh

MRO West

26.29 lb/GWh

HFC – 134a

Variable