Lexus Selects Visible Light Solar Technologies’ Solar/LED Lighting Solutions for New Mexico Dealerships, Gaining Over 80% Efficiencies

Lexus of Albuquerque has selected Visible Light Solar Technologies, a solar/LED commercial lighting innovator, to retrofit its exterior lot lights at both its Albuquerque and Santa Fe dealerships following an initial pilot installation that yielded 82% energy savings. The solar/LED lights also gave the dealership true-color nighttime light quality, equal in clarity to daylight lighting, allowing for secure and effective afterhours customer browsing.

Lexus, as part of parent company Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc., is involved in company-wide efforts to reduce energy and water usage in all its operations. By fiscal year 2011, the company plans to reduce energy consumption of U.S. facilities by 18 percent compared to the fiscal year 2001 baseline. Lexus actively supports its dealerships in efforts to do the same. Lexus was the first luxury brand to introduce gasoline/electric hybrid vehicles and currently offers three models, with a fourth hybrid debuting at the 2009 North American International Auto Show.

“We can be environmentally sustainable, save money, and set a national standard for Lexus dealerships by deploying the Visible Light Solar Vector retrofit lighting products,” says Tom Bohlman, managing partner of Lexus of Albuquerque. “Ever since I was asked to participate as a dealer representative on the Lexus hybrid design committee several years ago, my eyes have been opened to the importance of environmental issues. I am thrilled to be extending our commitment to greening the automotive industry by addressing energy efficiencies throughout our facilities.”

Visible Light Solar is the first commercial and industrial lighting company to fully integrate LED lighting devices, solar power technology and advanced power management and control systems in exterior and interior lighting fixtures. The Vector line of retrofit products features the patent-pending Self Powered Device Interface (SPDI), an intelligent controller that monitors the solar battery level and manages the seamless switching between battery and grid power for 100% reliability. In addition, SPDI allows fixture-by-fixture programmability based on clock time, motion detection and ambient light levels, providing enhanced security and the ability for customers to raise and lower illumination levels as needed in order to reap additional energy savings. Visible Light Solar solutions are also more environmentally sustainable; unlike HID bulbs, LED’s do not contain toxic materials like mercury nor require ballasts that often contain PCBs.

Dee Dennis, President and CEO of Visible Light Solar Technologies, “The initial program at Lexus of Albuquerque demonstrates how retrofitting can instantly reduce energy use, while leveraging existing lighting infrastructure to take advantage of ubiquitous solar energy. Lexus was also pleasantly surprised by the added bonus of high quality, white LED light technology. It’s actually better than traditional incandescent bulbs at providing daylight-like illumination for the Lexus’ customers who stop by the lot at night to look at cars — our lighting allows these potential buyers to see the colors accurately.”

via 3blmedia.com

How Serving on a Nonprofit Board Makes You a Better Business Professional

Alice Korngold has unique vision and expertise in developing global, national, and regional leadership for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). For over 15 years, Korngold has lead the way in creating and applying innovative and high-impact methods to strengthen nonprofit governance, enhance corporate competitiveness, and advance global sustainability.

Whether you’re an management consultant, banker, attorney, manager, accountant, or other executive or professional, serving on a nonprofit board will help you do your job better.

Wendy Wysong, Partner at Clifford Chance, explained to me the following: “My experience serving on the boards of two nonprofit organizations, EngenderHealth and the Girl Scout Council of the Nation’s Capital, has given me a valuable perspective for my professional work, representing and providing legal advice to corporations.  The governance, audit, and ethics issues with which the nonprofit boards deal are directly analogous to those of corporate boards.  Accordingly, when I make presentations to my clients’ boards of directors to explain pending legal matters, I can focus on the issues that would and should concern them most.”

In fact, the nonprofit board experience has been transformative for hundreds of professionals and executives whom I have placed on boards and also coached as they ascended into board leadership positions.

Here is what you have to gain: See continuation here bit.ly/rlmkO

Green Building and the Triple Bottom Line

When a business calls itself green, what does that mean?  The answer may vary from energy-efficient to local or even socially responsible.  According to business schools and thought leaders, the definition is boiling down to a new bottom line: the triple bottom line.

This triad can be described in several ways: people, planet and prosperity; economy, environment and equity; or, economic, ecological and social responsibility.  Regardless of terminology, the successful businesses of tomorrow are embracing sustainability as a fundamental element.  It should not be separate from business strategy and operations; it is about integrating social and environmental concerns into business strategy and operations.

The benefits of a more sustainable approach for a business range from lower operating costs to increased sales, more productive workers, improved brand image and even lower risk.

In a comparison of trash and recycling rates for businesses in the City of Boise, a 3 cubic yard recycling dumpster costs $49.60 per month versus $68.31 for the same size trash container.  This equates to paying 38% more for trash.  Reducing waste in a business has solid economic benefits, conserves resources and preserves land.

Energy-efficiency improvements can also lower operating costs as well as qualify for a range of incentives and often have hidden benefits of health, safety and thermal comfort.  Leaky ductwork and heating equipment not only wastes significant energy, but can draw contaminants into the indoor air we breathe.  Inefficient lighting wastes electricity and produces unwanted heat yet could be qualifying for incentives from Idaho Power.  Their “Easy Upgrades” such as light bulbs, fixtures and sensors as well as a wide range of building retrofits can result in payouts of up to $100,000 per year.  Combine these incentives with federal ENERGY STAR tax deductions and lower utility costs and the ROI just gets better and better.

Walmart and other retailers have found that simply adding daylight in stores increases sales and lowers electricity consumption.  The benefits of daylight are further supported by studies such as the 1999 report by the Heschong Mahone Group of the Capistrano school district, which showed that students with the most daylighting in their classrooms progressed 20% faster on math tests and 26% on reading tests.

Further reasons to integrate sustainability into business are brand image and lower risk.  More and more consumers are making purchase decisions based on the social and environmental responsibility of a business.  According to the EcoPulse study released in June of this year by The Shelton Group, 60% of the population says they’re seeking out green products and 66% say they’re either spending more or as much on green products as they were before the economy tanked.

Going green now lowers business risk in the future.  Consider the risks of changing carbon regulations, mold, radon and carbon monoxide.  Fireman’s Fund was the first insurance company to offer green insurance to commercial policyholders in 2006 and has since expanded their green offerings to hybrid upgrade auto insurance and a 5% discount on yearly premiums for owners of LEED-certified homes.  Why offer a discount?  One reason is that LEED Certified Homes are required to incorporate indoor moisture control measures into construction.  This mitigates risk of mold.  According to an April, 2009 article in the Wall street Journal, almost two dozen insurers offer premium credits and discounts for owners of green commercial and residential buildings.

In 2007, the United Nations and ICLEI (International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives) ratified the Triple Bottom Line standard for urban and community accounting in the public sector.  In the private sector, social and sustainability reporting is becoming commonplace in Europe and with organizations such as HP, Starbucks, McDonald’s, Ford, Intel, Proctor and Gamble, Nike and Pacific Lumber.  Locally, citizens are demanding this sort of reporting.  In May, Idaho Power shareholders passed a resolution directing the Company to develop a plan for reducing its emissions of greenhouse gasses.  Although the resolution was advisory in nature, Company management agreed to be bound by it and will have its greenhouse gas reduction strategy report prepared by September 30, 2009.

Can you afford to wait until shareholders demand sustainability?  A few years ago, Dupont CFO Gary Pfeiffer observed that “Dupont has reduced its environmental footprint by 60%, and increased in shareholder value by 340%.  Can I prove that those two facts are correlated?  No.  Do I have any doubt they’re correlated?  No.”

Adopting a triple bottom line approach now sets a business apart as a leader in consumer’s eyes and results in economic, environmental and social benefits that contribute towards a more sustainable future for all of us.

Sharon Patterson, LEED AP, is Chair of the US Green Building Council Idaho Chapter and a Grow Smart Award winner. Her work has been covered by a range of media including “Professional Remodeler Magazine” and “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Green Building and Remodeling.” Patterson owns Eco Edge, a sustainability and green building consulting firm in Boise.

via newwest.net

CSR Minute: September 10, 2009 – Molson Coors Joins UN Global Compact; IMC2′s Challenge; Net Impact at Baylor U

Corporate Social Responsible News: Molson Coors Joins UN Global Compact; IMC2′s Commuter Challenge; Net Impact’s Program at Baylor U