While every company wants to be completely sustainable, where investments get made sometimes need to be strategic. This is a look at but a few possible decisions and what’s driving them.
There are many reasons for wanting to make a facility more sustainable. Arguably two of the biggest reasons are, one, appealing to consumers who care about purchasing from companies that align with their own values and, two, reducing operating costs. But the price tag on more efficient equipment or materials used in a facility’s construction is often higher. It leads to the question of whether or not springing for those more efficient purchases is worth it. The obvious answer to the question is, “Yes.” Numerous studies have shown that investing in energy efficiency saves money in the long run. The real question is, though, how quickly that ROI is realized. And, for some investments, there may not be a direct ROI at all.
“Beyond the benefits of direct return on investment, the interest in increasing consumer confidence in their brand as a sustainable manufacturer is outweighing the costs to implement,” says Nathan Arnold, PE, director of client development at Hixson Architecture & Engineering.