A multitude of small activities to reduce power use can add up. Combine those efforts with some solar power and the results are significant energy savings.
Assurant’s energy reduction efforts shine bright, helping its Albany, Ore. and Milwaukee offices earn the ENERGY STAR® designation.
The solar power produced at Assurant Specialty Property's campus in Springfield translates to a reduction of more than 1,400 tons of carbon dioxide. This is the equivalent of planting more than 33,000 trees. The 1.76 megawatt project is the largest solar installation in the Springfield-Dayton area.
Overall, Assurant’s 10 main campuses in the United States reduced their energy consumption by 11 percent adopting simple improvements. Last year, the company also launched the largest in solar installation in the Springfield-Dayton, Ohio area.
“We can’t take out an insurance policy on the planet, but there are things we can do to protect the environment,” said Denson Stilwell, assistant vice president of engineering and operations for Assurant, Inc. “From changing light bulbs to relying on solar power, we are diligently working to improve our environmental performance.”
Assurant’s efforts include:
- Adopting solar at its Springfield campus where more than 6,200 solar panels, installed on rooftops and atop 15 new parking canopies, now are producing clean, renewable energy. To date, the solar installation has generated 2,341,609 kilowatt-hours of electricity, enough electricity to power 198 homes for a year.
- Implementing an energy reduction program that resulted in reducing energy consumption by an average of 410 kilowatt-hours per day by automating its lighting, heating and air conditioning controls at its Albany, Ore. office.
- Reducing electrical usage in Assurant’s Milwaukee office by 5.4 percent in 2013.
- Retrofitting the lighting system in Assurant’s Florence, S.C. office with energy efficient LEDs. This project is estimated to reduce 350,000 kilowatt-hours of electrical consumption and save 619,500 pounds of CO2 per year. This is equivalent to offsetting annual greenhouse gas emissions from 25.6 homes’ energy use.
- Adopting energy efficient heating, ventilation and air conditioning at its 10 main facilities throughout the country.
- Installing two Electric Vehicle Charging stations at its Miami office, reducing the requirement for 1,262 gallons of gasoline that a standard vehicle would consume in 12 months.
“We are proud of these accomplishments, but are dedicated to doing more to reduce the size of our environmental footprint, one step at a time,” said Stilwell.