Campbell’s Cuts Energy Costs and Promotes Sustainable Manufacturing

By Mara Serena LaVoice

Campbell’s, the world’s leading maker and marketer of soup, has implemented a company-wide strategy to improve the environmental impact of its more than 30 manufacturing facilities, setting goals for energy and water conservation, waste management and recycling.  Each plant has been charged with developing its own plan for reducing energy use through a combination of new low-energy technologies, alternative fuels and energy conservation.

In 2009, Campbell’s contracted with GreenTech Energy Services, Inc, to help its plants achieve some of those goals. At the company’s plant in Maxton, N.C., GreenTech replaced metal halide fixtures with T8 fluorescent fixtures that are sealed and gasketed to accommodate a washed-down environment.  All T12 technology was eliminated.  The plant is noticeably brighter and the new lights run cooler, which is important in a food environment.  As a result, working conditions in the plant have been improved while energy consumption and costs have been lowered.

At Campbell’s facility in South Plainfield, NJ, GreenTech replaced 83 outdated T12 fixtures and 67 metal halide fixtures with T8’s, which provide energy efficiency, long lamp life, and high lumen maintenance.  Sensors were installed that switch lights off in unoccupied areas of the warehouse. The result was a 40% reduction in energy use, a significant decrease in utility costs, and a payback of only one year.  Aesthetically, the space appears brighter and more evenly lit, with less glare and flickering, enhancing the workplace environment and improving employee safety.

In a project still in progress at Campbell’s Sacramento facility, outdated T12 lamps and metal halide fixtures have been replaced with shatterproof T8s, occupancy sensors have been installed throughout the warehouse and office space, and new exit signs have been installed.  The final cost of the project will be approximately $1,300,000.  This will be offset by a local utility rebate, an EPACT tax savings and energy and operational savings resulting in an internal rate of return greater than 25%.  Post-installation light level readings show improved light levels throughout the facility, as well as enhanced color rendering.

During Campbell’s Fiscal Year 2009, they invested over $3,000,000 for lighting projects in four major facilities resulting in annual utility savings in excess of $1,400,000.  This coming year, the company plans to spend another $3,000,000 and will anticipate energy savings of over $1,000,000.

 “These projects are a great example of the alignment of sustainability and bottom line business impact,” says David Stangis, Campbell’s Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility. “At Campbell’s, sustainability not only means improved environmental performance, it means increased efficiency and cost savings.”

About GreenTech Energy Services: GreenTech Energy Services is an innovative Energy Services Company (ESCO) that provides its customers with cost-effective energy reduction solutions.  GreenTech has designed, engineered and installed energy-efficient retrofits in over 4,000 commercial buildings. Serving customers on a national level, GreenTech provides its customers with a host of comprehensive energy service solutions from its east and west coast offices.  For more information on GreenTech Energy Services, call 856-439-9400, or visit www.greentechenergy.com.

GreenTech customer Staples, Inc. is nominee for Platts Global Energy Award

Mount Laurel, NJ, December 2009 – GreenTech Energy Services, a provider of turnkey energy savings solutions for commercial, public and educational facilities across the country, announced that Staples, Inc., a GreenTech customer, was nominated for the 2009 Platts Global Energy Award in the "Energy Efficiency Program of the Year" category. This was in recognition of its efforts to consistently set the highest standards of excellence in energy efficiency. The company has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions, obtained a growing percentage of its energy from renewable resources, reduced waste and improved vehicle efficiency.

"Staples is a role model for the modern corporation in terms of its corporate social responsibility efforts, and we're proud that GreenTech Energy Services participates in its energy conservation strategy," said Mara LaVoice, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at GreenTech. Attending the awards ceremony in New York on December 3 was (clockwise from top left): Mara LaVoice; Mark Bruuker, Partner, Burton Energy; Bob Valair, Staples’ Director of Energy and Environmental Management; Kathy O’Connell, Executive Producer, Ocean Creative; and Howard Spellman, VP, Coleman Hines.

GreenTech Energy Helps Staples Cut Costs And Shrink Carbon Footprint
GreenTech has designed and implemented energy savings solution for Staples warehouses and retail locations throughout Florida, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, saving the company a million dollars in energy costs. In Staples’ 60,000-square-foot warehouse and distribution center in Levittown, PA, a facility that operates 24 hours a day, 5 days a week, GreenTech replaced outdated 400-watt metal halide technologies with state-of-the-art T5 fluorescent lamps, which provide energy efficiency, long lamp life, easy switching, high lumen maintenance and even light distribution. GreenTech also installed sensors in half of the office fixtures to turn individual lights off when the rooms are unoccupied. Other energy-savings measures included motor controls for conveyer belts that reduced energy consumption by 46%, and also produced operational savings due to a reduction in heat, vibration and noise. Results of the project include higher light levels, improved light quality, lower energy costs, and lower life-cycle costs. Restrike time in the aisles has been reduced, and the occupancy sensors have cut energy usage. The program has already paid for itself in 1.5 years.

GreenTech’s Energy Efficiency Measures Save Los Angeles Unified School District $3 Million In Utility Costs
GreenTech has designed, installed and monitored energy-efficient measures throughout the Los Angeles Unified School District that have saved the district $3 million in energy costs. The projects encompassed hundreds of schools as well as a 371,520-square-foot warehouse that stores refrigerated, frozen and bulk products for the LAUSD. Prior to the project, the warehouse lighting, which was dim, uneven, yellowish, and deteriorating, had to remain on constantly during hours of operation, even though most of the aisles and storage space are unoccupied at any given time. One panel of the lighting control system was located in the electrical room near a large transformer, which made it susceptible to overheating. The motors driving the eight compressors in the freezer and refrigerator space ran at exactly the same high level no matter how much the demand for power fluctuated, producing excessive heat, noise and vibration.

GreenTech replaced the HID lighting with state-of-the-art T5 fixtures, reducing energy usage and improving the
quality of light throughout the building. The new lights maintain the same light level over time. Occupancy sensors were mounted directly to the fixtures in low-traffic areas, and programmed to turn off after 10 minutes of the space being unoccupied. The starters on the motors of eight compressors were replaced with Motorboss, which uses an “Intelligent Controller” that allows the motor to be operating close to 100% efficiency at all times, without affecting motor speed in any manner. Finally, GreenTech commissioned the panel on the lighting control system to
operate properly, and provided in-house training on equipment operation. These projects, undertaken via performance contracts and financed out of guaranteed savings, have netted the district three million dollars in
energy savings to date.